Cyberbullying may be worse for teens than other forms of harassment

By Staff Writer

This past year, many teens have taken their own results as a result of being cyberbullied. According to the Cyberbullying Research Center, the act is defined as "when someone repeatedly harasses, mistreats or makes fun of another person online or while using cell phones or other electronic devices."

This form of bullying may be more severe than traditional methods because victims can be harassed any time of day through social networking sites, text messaging or other media.

Justin W. Patchin, co-director of the Cyberbullying Research Center, told the news source that cyberbullying can be worse because there is no escape. He added that he was bullied in middle school, but he could go home at the end of the day and forget about it, unlike today's teens.

According to a survey conducted by the Cyberbullying Research Center, a total of 7.5 percent of students reported being harassed online in 2009. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that nearly 30 percent of youth in the U.S. are involved in bullying, either as a bully or a target, or both.