The Big Read: Cyberbullying is more rampant and damaging to young lives than we think. It's time to take it seriously
SINGAPORE — Having distanced herself from a close female friend after a falling out, Ms Erin Seah, then 15, thought that she could move on.
Nestor Gregorio Vera Fernandez, alias Ivan Mordisco, head of the Central General Staff of the FARC dissidents, attends a meeting with peasant communities in Yari, Colombia April 16, 2023. REUTERS/Mario Quintero
- As the lives of children and youths become more intertwined with smart devices and the internet, research suggests that there is a growing risk of them being cyberbullied
- Separate studies in the United States and Singapore have found that almost half of the respondents in these countries have experienced some form of cyberbullying or online harm
- Victims of cyberbullying said that beyond the immediate hurt, it has had a long-lasting impact on their mental health due to the effect on their formative years
- The Ministry of Education said schools have taken steps to address the situation, with the number of reported cyberbullying incidents remaining “low and stable over the past five years"
- Nevertheless, the problem could be underreported as many youths tend to suffer in silence. Experts say that victims should turn to a trusted adult for help, while parents and educators need to take more preemptive measures to protect their children
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SINGAPORE — Having distanced herself from a close female friend after a falling out, Ms Erin Seah, then 15, thought that she could move on.
Then one night, her phone buzzed — a mutual friend sent a slew of screenshots from an Instagram post where she was called, among other things, attention-seeking and dumb.
Ms Seah recalled the horror of learning about the post which had vulgarities and veiled threats of violence targeted towards her. Her friend-turned-bully wrote: “I swear… I WILL break my no detention record in school since Secondary 1 for the sake of just one punch to give it to ya.”
While her name was not mentioned in the post, a comment confirmed her doubts. “You’re talking about E**n, right,” read the comment in a screenshot Ms Seah showed TODAY.
What started the torrent of online abuse? It was over the same mutual friend that had sent her the screenshots — Ms Seah had rejected his feelings, and her bully took it personally.
“She thought I was taking advantage of him for not reciprocating his feelings, and that I was attention-seeking,” Ms Seah recalled of her bully.
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