With Pink Shirt Day coming to schools on Wednesday (Feb. 28), the topic of cyberbullying is more timely than ever.

Cyberbullying is a type of bullying that is done through technology such as a phone or a computer, instead of face-to-face.

Bonnie Leadbeater, a psychology professor at the University of Victoria and a developer of a program called WITS (Walk away, Ignore, Talk it out, and Seek help), which is designed for the prevention of bullying and victimization in elementary and middle school aged children, says cyberbullying is typically done through direct messaging or social media.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not hard to catch a cyberbully because they have left a record that leads back to them. But with cyberbullying, typically victims tend to be more secretive about it and not want to tell anyone,B次元官网网址� Leadbeater said. B次元官网网址淎 lot of what we do is just try to get these kids to come forward if they are bullied.B次元官网网址�

She said cyberbullying can be more harmful because you canB次元官网网址檛 walk away from it, so itB次元官网网址檚 harder to escape, and it can have serious effects on someoneB次元官网网址檚 mental health.

Dan Taft, a counsellor at Belmont Secondary School, agreed saying: B次元官网网址淪ocial media now allows people to say things, spread gossip, or send pictures and videos very quickly to a large number of people, so itB次元官网网址檚 important children learn how to use social media in an appropriate and positive way, as well as for kids to learn how to protect themselves from people who arenB次元官网网址檛 using it appropriately.B次元官网网址�

Leadbeater said approximately 15 per cent of children in Canada are chronically bullied, or more than twice a month, and she attributes this to how competitive our society is, where everyone looks to achieve a certain status.

B次元官网网址淎lthough I think Canada is moving in a friendlier direction, we are not a society that emphasizes to treat everybody equally and be kind to everyone,B次元官网网址� she said.

Taft added that a lot of the humour kids see in the media is often based on putting people down.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 difficult when kids see that all the time in shows and online, to learn that that kind of humour can actually be pretty negative and hurtful,B次元官网网址� Taft said. B次元官网网址淪o thatB次元官网网址檚 why we try to build a culture in our schools thatB次元官网网址檚 really accepting and non-judgmental.B次元官网网址�

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Leadbeater said cyberbullying can start as early as Grade 5, but kids that age might not necessarily realize how they are coming across while just trying to be funny, or that what they are saying can hurt someoneB次元官网网址檚 feelings.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 important that children learn early on what it means to talk to someone that isnB次元官网网址檛 right in front of them, and how someone might interpret their words when they canB次元官网网址檛 see facial expressions to know if theyB次元官网网址檙e kidding or not,B次元官网网址� Leadbeater said.

But in middle and high school aged kids, she explained that the bullying tends to be a lot more intentional.

B次元官网网址淩elational bullying has always been a problem, but cyberbullying is just an extension of that. It gives people a new tool to bully, because you donB次元官网网址檛 have to be in front of the person to tease them.B次元官网网址�

Leadbeater said if a person is being cyber-bullied, the best thing to do is stop the interaction, save the messages, and show it to an adult.

B次元官网网址淧arents should encourage children to show them whatB次元官网网址檚 on their devices, what they are posting and keep it quite public. It shouldnB次元官网网址檛 be such a private way of talking right away,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淭his can help parents give advice on how to interact in a positive way online, and hopefully help kids to better negotiate that world when using technology.B次元官网网址�