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Tips+and+assistance+for+victims+of+online+harassment

Tips and assistance for victims of online harassment

When threatened, the human mind conjures up thousands of possible responses to one situation, the most notable and primal being fight or flight; do we stand our ground and protect, or run and hide?

In the past, these “fight or flight” responses came due to an in-face or physical threat, but cyberspace has weaved its way into the darker sides of human interaction, causing spikes in online harassment.

According to Stop. Think. Connect. — a national public awareness campaign aimed at increasing the understanding of cyber threats and getting the American public to be safer and more secure online — one in every five teenagers have been victim to sexual harassment online.

This spike in online harassment has forced people to find all new ways to respond to sexualized threats by an unknown — or sometimes known — user, protected by the shadows of long internet codes and user agreements.

STC advises those being harrassed to keep calm and not respond to or block the user. Keep evidence of the harassment and inform a trusted adult or law enforcement.

All online/social media apps have a little trick up their sleeve: anonymous reporting. This action allows users to report potentially concerning or threatening posts or users to the app and either suspend their account, delete certain posts or simply get them away from your account without the possibility of being exposed.

 

On certain apps such as Instagram and Twitter this can be easier, but for apps that include more private content such as Snapchat, it can be harder. For snap “stories” that seem questionable, just hold down on the story and an option for reporting will appear. This can be done for others’ accounts as well. Screenshotting concerning posts is always recommended as well, but the app does have the ability to retrieve deleted posts.  

But, while it’s important to know what to do when a victim of online sexual harassment, it’s also important to know what to do to prevent the situation.

The STC campaign heavily advises against any form of sexting – sending nude photos from phones.

“Don’t do it. Period,” STC says. “People who create, forward, or even save sexually explicit photos, videos, or messages put their friendships and reputations at risk. Worse yet, they could be breaking the law.”

Students are always encouraged to go to adults. School counselors, social workers and local law enforcement all work in partnership with social media and online platforms to address certain posts and users.

“Speak up,” STC said on their website. “If you see something inappropriate, let the website know and tell an adult you trust. Don’t stand for bullying — online or off.”

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