Learn why cyberbullying is different?

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Cyberbullying is sometimes hard to detect for coaches and parents because…

• people who cyberbully believe they can remain anonymous so they don’t fear getting caught.
• cyberbullying is often outside of the reach of hockey organizations, because this behaviour often happens outside of hockey on home computers or via cell/smart phones.
• youth who have been bullied are afraid to report it to their parents because they are afraid they will overreact and take their technology away.
• youth who have been bullied may not always know who is bullying them.

Cyberbullying is very damaging because…

• cyberbullying can happen instantly, by simply pressing the ‘send’ button. It is often created and then forwarded impulsively, without forethought.
• the lack of face-to-face feedback makes it easier for the person who is cyberbullying to ignore the negative impact on the person who is being cyberbullied.
• negative messages can be spread to huge numbers of people at very high speed.
• cyberbullying can happen any time and any place. Because youth are connecting to technology throughout the day and night, there is no way to escape it. Home is no longer a safe place.