… a growing problem in Guyana

GUYANA may be a wide distance removed from the United States of America economically and even socially and culturally. However, while there is a large degree of familiarity with the manner in which people behave and what are some of the expectations based on knowledge gained through the media, as well as through visits (to the USA), in addition to the familial ties and the constant social relations that exist, yet the people are different in many ways.

The technological advancement of the USA added to the major leaps and bounds that have already been made in the economic sphere, along with the education, cultural and social arenas leave too much room for a country like Guyana to play catch-up.

Nonetheless, there are some patterns which people, including children in Guyana, are mimicking and cyberbullying is one of them.

Cyberbullying is said to be the repeated and intentional use of technology, where computers and cell phones are used to inflict harm – to harass, to tease, to say hurtful things to another person to make them feel bad – and it is a growing problem, especially with our children and our adolescent population.

THE ROLE OF PARENTS
A rapid assessment, using a (fully) representative sample of children would certainly show that a large number of children, especially in the urban communities, who are in the primary and even within the secondary schools, possess cell phones – some even have two phones (representing both networks: GTT and Digicel).

Studies have revealed that where there is so much more access to technology than they used to have, with the lack of ‘unsupervised’ monitoring of the use of cell phones by children, for example, then the problem of cyberbullying has most definitely become more rampant and a real challenge to parents and guardians, the education system, as well as the society in a more general manner.

Once the use of cell phones are made available by parents, then it becomes imperative for them to make no excuse in monitoring their children’s use of cell phones and their texting, studies on this subject have shown. What is okay and not okay to text; where or who do these messages come from; and who is checking to see what is going on are some of the questions being posed to parents or guardians in many ‘conversations’ posed in studies on this matter.

According to many studies, this issue of cyberbullying is one that occurs constantly, making it imperative that parents talk to their children about the results of bullying, thereby making them more aware of the consequences of being drawn into ‘settings’ which can result in dangerous situations that come out of cyberbullying.

HOW BIG OF A PROBLEM IS IT?
Some studies have said that as much as 85 per cent of children interviewed said that they have been bullied, while others have indicated a much smaller figure – about 20 to 25 percent. Therefore, while it really depends on the age and size of the survey, and also the way the questionnaires are designed – since not everybody sees cyberbullying, in the same manner, all studies seem to come to the conclusion that any cyberbullying is still occurring at a significant rate.

And so adults are being urged to make the time to pay attention to the way the cell phones and other devices are being used by children; to give tools to the children, which would equip them to stand strong in the case of cyberbullying, even when they have not yet experienced it themselves – to help stop it and also to be of help to those who might be experiencing the problem.

WHY CYBERBULLYING TAKES PLACE
Studies have identified that one of the reasons cyberbullying has been allowed to strive is mainly because it is anonymous – it can be of a relatively nameless, ‘unknown’ location. Additionally, it takes little courage to engage in cyberbullying since it is not done face-to-face, and people are able to execute their plan with much more ease – possibly from the privacy of their own home, bedroom or even in a classroom, essentially without being identified.

Online bullying, which is how cyberbullying is done, can be done in almost all forms, as well as anywhere, as was just established. It can be done in a group – mostly small groups while being done to an individual or also to another group; it can move very quickly and at any time of night or day. And, since it is not something that is supervised or monitored, it can go very far and become very damaging. It has been made public knowledge how people who have experienced cyberbullying eventually take their own lives; while on the other hand, others have resorted to taking the lives of others around them.

CHILDREN EXPLAIN
Many children said that Facebook has been used by others to send ‘dirty’ messages. Others said that children would quietly take pictures of other children who may have one problem or another and then use such pictures to attach ugly messages, which will then be sent back to the unsuspecting source. Children don’t only send rude messages, which they sometimes use to torment other children with; they attach all sorts of exaggerated memes and other taunting features to go with these messages which makes it worse, some children revealed.

However, most of the children felt that telling their parents about text messages that they could consider cyberbullying was the last resort. Many of them expressed a sort of veiled fear that if they were to discuss this bullying with their parents they may choose to take away the phone (in order to protect them), which they obviously would not want to happen.

Interestingly though, the larger percentage of the children have stated clearly that their understanding of why their parents gave them cell phones is primarily for making contact with the parents on their whereabouts, as well as in cases of emergencies.

Stated on top of the list also, was that parents gave them cell phones as a form of a tool to aid in research for assignments given by their class teacher. Many of the children acknowledged that their parents did not mind them having friends to ‘chat’ with online, but would be outraged if they were aware of them being bullied or engaging in bullying online. (mercilinburke2017@gmail.com)