From @muppetish: “When bullying reaches that degree, it’s horrifying. It must be a nightmare to draw up that kind of legislation (how would you press charges? who is responsible? how to police this?) but I think it’s wholly necessary”
The problem is far, far worse than I think is being stated. This is, and has been, an epidemic – especially now with the “sexting” phenomenon. Girl bullying is generally so much more insidious than that of boys because it’s often psychological. Cyberspace offers both a new opportunity to psychologically attack girls, as well as tearing down the walls of any perceived safe space or time – or responsibility. It is much easier to attack someone online than it is face-to-face because you can’t see the reaction (remember Milligram’s experiment, and consider instances of road rage where intent is assumed in another driver because one can’t see their face). This is clear even here and on other sites – people will often be more snarky, rude or even mean even though they know it could be taken personally by another member AND it is taken place in a public space than I think we all believe they would be if that conversation were taking place in a bar.
Further, for the victims, the internet is often a place where they can socialize and escape from ridicule because of the detachment from the actual physical appearance, or the sound of their voice, and where they can be accepted for who they “are.” It is ALL the more devastating when such a sacrosanct space is invaded, and by people who have been emotionally detached from their sense of responsibility.
The sexting issue brings up the issue of boys using girls to up their popularity, girls feeling that they need to “give” boys something to keep them happy or they will be dumped and popularity, boys being able to use “sexts” to blackmail girls into doing degrading sexual things, and girls ostracizing each other to improve their status and protect their sense of “virtue” oddly, by showing how one girl is a “slut.”
Because of this, and because there are whoa more instances than this one discussed, and because it is often going to be against “weak” kids in our society who don’t feel like they have anyone and so won’t talk about it until it’s too late leaving no one with a real understanding of what happened (either through suicide, running away, or being self destructive in another way) we can’t possibly legislate it…there are too many variables, too many people who won’t want to go through formal proceedings, and too many formal proof problems. What we need is a form of mediation and education for the kids themselves so that they can begin to feel safe about their own agency generally and don’t have to subject to social pressures (well, as often or as extremely). If we don’t start getting input from the bullies (who here, are often as afraid themselves – as long as it’s happening to someone else at least it’s not them), from boys and girls, legislation and prosecution can probably only hurt as accusers go through the system, are reabused by it, and then spit back out without a win and destroyed by their classmates or with a win and ostracized because they should have just taken it.
Composing members:
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Composing members:
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