Save Lives, Stop Cyberbullying
Cyberbullies are worse than regular bullies. Cyberbullies are cowards. They hide behind a computer screen and think they have all the power in the world. In today’s society, where we are so dependent on the internet and social media, people need to start stepping away from their monitors and standing up for what’s right.
The Tyler Clementi case in 2010 made national headlines, as a quiet freshman during his first month at Rutgers University took his own life because of the unbearable effects of cyberbullying. His roommate, who does not deserve to be named, live-streamed on the internet a date Clementi had with another male student that took place in their dorm room. The webcam and computer of Clementi’s roommate were left on the desk to record everything for the world to see and unfortunately, make fun of. Clementi was newly homosexual, and he decided to fully come out after his high school graduation. According to the Tyler Clementi story on their website, he wished to begin living the life he has always wanted to and he thought that college was the place he could do so. It should have been.
Three years after the tragic death of Tyler Clementi, the Tyler Clementi Center was established at Rutgers University as a place that “assists campus professionals in fostering institutional responsiveness and creating an affirming transition experience for all students entering higher education,” according to their website. In other words, providing a safe haven to those in stigmatized communities to help them transition into the new college world and this next chapter in their lives. The center is funded and supported by the Tyler Clementi Foundation which was created in 2011, a year after Clementi’s death. According to their website, the reason for the foundation was an “urgent need to address these bullying challenges facing vulnerable populations, especially LGBT and other victims of hostile social environments.” In my opinion, after this tragic event, this is something the university needs.
One of the main research initiatives of the Tyler Clementi Center is studying cyberbullying and understanding it. The internet and social media has become an excuse or outlet for people to continue to judge and criticize each other. However, because of the lack of face-to-face interaction, it makes it easier for people to act out without feeling remorse or even getting caught. It is stated on the Tyler Clementi Center website that more than 40% of teenagers in the United States have reported being cyberbullied. That is almost half of the population. As a twenty-two-year-old millennial, I can say that I grew up as technology grew up. I’ve gotten to experience the different stages of the internet and of social media and have had to dodge cyberbullying throughout my adolescence. However, cyberbullying does not stop in your teen years. We see it today through comments on popular social media sites, especially to celebrities. People on the internet feel the need to comment negative words to make themselves feel better or to tear other people down. Why? We will never know.
Director of the Tyler Clementi Center, Maren Greathouse, advises students who may be dealing with cyberbullying to surround themselves with positive people to overshadow the negativity they may be receiving on the internet.
“When someone is bullied or harassed by someone in their life, the best way to combat it is to surround themselves with friends and family who support, appreciate and celebrate them. When we feel that love from others, it makes it that much easier to love ourselves and speak up when someone is targeting us” Greathouse stated.
When cyberbullying gets to a point where it becomes life threatening, that seems to be the only time people seem to start listening. It is absolutely disheartening that some cases get so bad that people are incapable of withstanding it, and that is where it becomes a huge issue. One of the Tyler Clementi Center’s initiatives is to spread awareness and help students overcome cyberbullying and adjust to campus life.
“Students can participate in the #Day1 campaign this fall, a university-wide campaign that promotes UPstander behavior and asks students to sign a pledge committing themselves to creating and maintaining an inclusive campus climate,” Greathouse says.
Unfortunately, we’ve seen this kind of behavior from our newly-elected president on his social media accounts. When cyberbullying is taking place on the computer monitor in the highest office in the United States of America, I think the issue really needs to be addressed, tackled and solved. The Tyler Clementi Center is just one of the organizations taking steps to help those who feel they cannot speak up for themselves. If people would spend less time, cyberbullying and speaking negatively towards others, and more time speaking out on this issue, the world would be that much of a better place.
