Cyberbullying: Girls More Likely to Become Cyberbullies than Boys

New research by the Cyber-bullying Research Center at Florida Atlantic University suggests that female teenagers are noticeably more likely to engage in cyberbullying than their male counterparts.  Of the 2,000 middle schoolers surveyed, teen girls were also more likely to report cyberbullying to parents and school administrators.  Girls generally spread rumors as a means to cyberbully, whereas boys use cruel pictures or videos to hurt others.  Sadly, the center also learned that victims of cyberbullying were practically twice as likely to have attempted suicide compared to their classmates who have remained cyberbully-free, a phenomenon now referred to as “cyberbullicide.”

We know that social networks and text messages have become breeding grounds for dangerous cyberbullies.  For this reason, parents (especially of teen girls) need to connect more with their children on a daily basis and take an active role in monitoring their child’s online and cell phone activities. 

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