The Government has come under fire from an anti-bullying charity for its approach to the problem of cyberbullying.
The Government has come under fire from an anti-bullying charity for its approach to the problem of cyberbullying.
Though BeatBullying welcomed guidance from the Department for Children, Schools and Families on the subject, it said it wasn't enough to eradicate the problem of bullying.
Emma-Jane Cross, chief executive of Beatbullying said: "A piece of paper is not going to save a child from its tormentors.
"It is important to remember that cyberbullying is just the tip of the bullying iceberg. It is what we do not see posted up on the internet that worries us most. At least if bullying is posted online we have a digital fingerprint to follow," Cross continued.
Cyberbullying refers specifically to the use of the internet and technologies such as mobile phones to intimidate victims. The Government's campaign is centred on a push to make it socially unacceptable to get involved in cyberbullying. Its tagline is ‘Laugh at it and you’re a part of it’.
"Cyberbullying is a particularly insidious type of bullying as it can follow young people wherever they go, with no refuge, and the anonymity that it seemingly affords to the perpetrator can make it even more stressful for the victim," said Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families.
However, BeatBullying is lobbying the Government to take a more holistic approach to the problem of bullying.
"The solution to cyberbullying is the same solution to all bullying – prevention. We want to see the Government put prevention into practice through peer mentoring and other proven initiatives. Beatbullying has been lobbying for the Government to spend a little as £4 per child to run peer mentoring in every school in the country," said Cross.
www.beatbullying.org
www.dfes.gov.uk
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