More Victims of Online Abuse Reach Out to Parents

This PBS news article posted by the Associated Press releases a promising report on the improvement of the very disturbing online bullying trend that has been responsible for the anguish, and in some cases, self-harm and suicide, of too many tweens, teens, and college students throughout our nation. PBS claims that more and more targets of online bullying are reaching out to parents and siblings for help much earlier to help intervene before things get worse. I appreciate the even mix of quantitative and qualitative evidence in this piece, pulling in their readership with both logos and pathos for a nice balance that is easy to digest. The author discusses specific cases of online bullying and elaborates on the differences between fates of victims who asked for help from their schools and families compared to those who kept the horrors to themselves. Some students who were once victims of abuse are now becoming leaders in their communities, mentoring other students who have suffered through the same types of treatment. The quantitative data shows that the amount of students ages 14-24 that have had a brush with an online bullying situation has decreased by 7% since 2011, not a highly significant number, but hopefully it will continue to improve. 7% more of the students who were bullied have gone to parents for help and 12% more are reaching out to brothers and sisters. There has also been a significant increase in the past two years in awareness of students that online bullying is a major issue that needs to be constantly monitored and addressed. The numbers are not impressive (yet) but the interviews that this article provides with various students leaves me feeling hopeful. It is a positive piece that understands its intended audience: primarily parents of school-aged children and teens, as well as students who may be witnessing this kind of online behavior among their peers.


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