*@! Cyberbullying and online harassment 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 cyberbullying. 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 bullying 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 embarrassment to and support to the people that depression, 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, Kidscape, • 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: • Cyberbullying and online harassment We will be sending you links to: advice sheet for adults. • Cyberbullying and online harassment • New interview with Lucy Alexander. advice sheet for young people. • Animation about cyberbullying. • Content for your website homepages and Please let us know if you need any further related pages. support or resources. • A selection of images for your website and social media pages. • A desktop background for you to use during the campaign week. Cyberbullying and online harassment Cyberbullying and online Report cyberbullying to internet service Facebook - facebook.com harassment can be extremely providers - lots of content on social media that Twitter - twitter.com is offensive or upsetting is not necessarily a Instagram - instagram.com distressing. They can be classed as criminal offence. However, cyberbullying often LinkedIn - linkedin.com criminal offences but there is lots violates the terms and conditions established by Google+ google.com of help available to support you. social media sites and internet service providers. YouTube - youtube.com Pinterest - pinterest.com Report cyberbullying to the social media site so Tumblr - tumblr.com they can take action against users abusing the Snapchat - snapchat.com #BeCyberSmart Tips to stay safe online terms of service. If you believe that you are the victim of an Think before you post - when posting or offence, always keep a record of the content, commenting on the internet, consider what by taking a screenshot, for example. If you are you say and what effect this may have. Never worried that your child or a loved one might be post comments that are abusive or may cause the victim of cyberbullying here are some signs offence to others. to look out for: Keep personal information personal - • Low self-esteem. do not say anything or publish pictures that • Withdrawal from family and spending a lot of might later cause you or someone else time alone. embarrassment. Be aware of what friends post • Reluctance to let parents or other family about you, or reply to your posts, particularly members anywhere near their mobiles, about your personal details and activities. Social media help sections can show you how laptops etc. Make the most of privacy settings - keep your to block users and change settings to control • Finding