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Cyberbullying and online campaign 2017

www.westmercia.police.uk/becybersmart #BeCyberSmart 79% of young This pack contains people asked by information to help BullyingUK have families, education seen somebody providers and harassed or safeguarding bullied online. services understand .

ADVICE HELP

You will receive further information, This cyberbullying images, videos, campaign is supported interviews, and by six national charities other resources to and organisations. help you support this campaign.

www.westmercia.police.uk/becybersmart #BeCyberSmart Foreword

This pack contains the latest West Together, we must try to prick the Mercia Police wide campaign to combat consciences of bullies and make them cyberbullying and online harassment aware that their actions can have serious among young people. consequences. We must also make information and support as widely available as possible so that people experiencing or witnessing know where to turn for help. The effects of Please could you put aside a few minutes cyberbullying and to read this pack? It will help you understand what cyberbullying and online harassment online harassment can is, and the impact it can have. Then you’ll be range from personal able to help us spread information, advice to and support to the people that , anxiety need it. and self harm. If we work together in partnership, with a determined and coordinated focus, we can improve awareness of cyberbullying and online harassment, support our communities, and change behaviour.

They are serious concerns for us as a police force, as well as anybody involved in the care of young people. We have listened to young people, to the voluntary sector and to subject matter experts – together, they’ve told us that online bullying is one of the biggest issues they now face.

We are writing to you because you are a safeguarding professional, a member of the media or someone who has shown an interest in supporting our communities on Mark Travis this issue. Your support is vital. Chief Superintendent West Mercia Police

www.westmercia.police.uk/becybersmart #BeCyberSmart Introduction

From 16-20 October 2017, West Mercia We’ll offer support and advice for people Police is working with a number of worried about becoming victims of online charities, schools, caring professionals, harassment and bullying. We’ll also explain and other partners to share information what online harassment and bullying are, about cyberbullying and online why they are serious – sometimes criminal – harassment. issues, and how to tackle bullying.

To help you spread the message, we can provide you with:

•  Advice sheets, online content, links and images. Together, we want to •  Links to a video with Lucy Alexander, reach as many young whose son took his own life after people – and their cyberbullying. parents/carers and •  Special animation for young people. teachers – as we can. •  Interviews with, and information from, senior members of our police force West You can help us do Mercia Police. that. •  Social media posts for you to share or copy.

All our resources will still be available after the campaign ends. Please just ask if you’d like any more support or information – our contact details are at the end of this pack.

www.westmercia.police.uk/becybersmart #BeCyberSmart Background

In researching the effects of It’s now widely recognised that cyberbullying cyberbullying on the development does not respect geographic boundaries – it of young people, it is hard to find can happen anywhere, at any time, across meaningful national data. Research by multiple online platforms. voluntary sector organisations helps us build up a picture: It is hard to assess the demands that cyberbullying creates for social care, the •  2015/16: the NSPCC experienced an 88% impacts upon education through absence increase in calls related to online bullying. from school and the impacts upon health •  2016/17: Childline carried out 24,000 through anxiety, depression and self-harm. counselling sessions for bullying, and estimates that 16,000 school children are We may never obtain the true social and absent from school each year as a result financial costs. However, it’s clear that in of bullying. addition to the social and wellbeing costs, this issue is affecting public sector finances.

www.westmercia.police.uk/becybersmart #BeCyberSmart High profile case studies in the media have drawn public attention to some tragic cases where the scale and impact of the bullying has led to self-harm:

Sam Abel (age 14), on 8 January Felix Alexander (age 17) 2017, stepped off the roof of a stepped in front of a train on 26 car park in Worcester. Sam fell to April 2016, after being bullied in ground and despite the efforts of person and online. The bullying many, he later died in hospital from took place both at home and at significant head injuries. Sam had school. After her son’s death, experienced sustained bullying Felix’s mother, Lucy, appeared on through the social media platforms. ITV’s Good Morning to talk about her experience. The videos of this interview are available to watch online.

www.westmercia.police.uk/becybersmart #BeCyberSmart Police statistics*

26% 27% 82%

of the malicious of these involve of suspects in communications offences a victim aged these cases are also we deal as a police under 18 aged under 18 alliance are cyber related

* Warwickshire Police and West Mercia Police alliance, April 2016 to August 2017

BullyingUK statistics*

79% 38%

of those asked had seen feel unsafe online somebody bullied online

* From http://www.bullying.co.uk/anti-bullying-week/bullying-uk-national-survey-2014/

YoungMinds.org statistics*

59% 45% 83%

of young people had their first social media believe social media accounts at age 12 spend 3 hours or more companies should or under (most site on social media daily do more to tackle guidelines state users cyberbullying must be aged 13+)

* From https://youngminds.org.uk/resources/policy/cyberbullying-inquiry/#what-the-survey-revealed. www.westmercia.police.uk/becybersmart #BeCyberSmart Campaign week 16-20 October What’s happening

As we approach the half term holiday, an • Elizabeth Hurley, who is a local mother, will opportunity that gives parents/carers and be lending her support for our campaign on teachers time to speak with the young social media – look out for her on Twitter. people in their care about this important • We’ll be sharing a new interview with Lucy subject. Alexander, mother of Felix Alexander, who tragically took his own life in 2016 after • Six national partners – the NSPCC, being bullied online. MumsNet, Bullying UK, Kooth, , • We’ll be tweeting and posting on social and Internet Matters – will be sharing media throughout. our advice on their websites, and we’ll be asking regional media outlets to help • Look out for us on Facebook spread the word. www.facebook.com/westmerciapolice and Twitter @WMerciaPolice. • Local authorities will host our advice sheets on their websites. • Schools across our policing area will receive our advice sheets and be encouraged to access our online resources.

www.westmercia.police.uk/becybersmart #BeCyberSmart Resources

We’ve emailed you: We will be sending you links to:

•  Cyberbullying and online harassment •  New interview with Lucy Alexander. advice sheet for adults. •  Animation about cyberbullying. •  Cyberbullying and online harassment advice sheet for young people. Please let us know if you need any further support or resources. •  Content for your website homepages and related pages. •  A selection of images for your website and social media pages. •  A desktop background for you to use during the campaign week.

Cyberbullying and

facebook.com Facebook - twitter.com #BeCyberSmart online harassment Twitter - Instagram - instagram.com Report cyberbullying to internet service linkedin.com LinkedIn - providers - lots of content on social media that google.com Google+ is offensive or upsetting is not necessarily a youtube.com Cyberbullying and online YouTube - criminal offence. However, cyberbullying often Pinterest - pinterest.com harassment can be extremely tumblr.com violates the terms and conditions established by Tumblr - distressing. They can be classed as snapchat.com social media sites and internet service providers. Snapchat - criminal offences but there is lots Report cyberbullying to the social media site so of help available to support you. they can take action against users abusing the If you believe that you are the victim of an terms of service. offence, always keep a record of the content, by taking a screenshot, for example. If you are Tips to stay safe online worried that your child or a loved one might be when posting or the victim of cyberbullying here are some signs Think before you post - to look out for: commenting on the internet, consider what • Low self-esteem. you say and what effect this may have. Never • Withdrawal from family and spending a lot of post comments that are abusive or may cause time alone. offence to others. • Reluctance to let parents or other family Keep personal information personal - members anywhere near their mobiles, do not say anything or publish pictures that laptops etc. might later cause you or someone else can show you how • Finding excuses to stay away from school or embarrassment. Be aware of what friends post Social media help sections work including school refusal. bullying.co.uk about you, or reply to your posts, particularly to block users and change settings to control about your personal details and activities. who can contact you. You can get advice and For further signs and advice visit support on using the following social media sites Make the most of privacy settings - keep your profiles closed, allowing access only to your including the ability to report content to them. chosen friends and family. CYBERBULLYING AND ONLINE HARASSMENT

www.westmercia.police.uk/becybersmart

www.westmercia.police.uk/becybersmart #BeCyberSmart Key contacts

Media enquiries: Laura Rainbow Operational Communications Officer West Mercia Police [email protected] 01789 444 749

West Mercia Police News Hub [email protected] 01789 444 737

Edd Williams Chief Inspector West Mercia Police [email protected] 07742 604121 101 ext 2425

www.westmercia.police.uk/becybersmart #BeCyberSmart