Digital Drama Awareness Week in South Lake Tahoe: Are you a victim?

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The South Lake Tahoe Police Department (SLTPD) is focusing on youth cyber-bullying this week during "Digital Drama Awareness Week" April 12-16, 2021.

For the first day we highlighting the definition of Digital Drama and Cyber Bullying. (See Here) and today we look at the victim and steps they should take if found in this situation.

"Don’t dwell on the bullying if bullied - rise above it," said South Lake Tahoe Police Campus Resource Officer Jason Nixon. "It doesn’t have to bring you down. Those doing the bullying have issues, don’t let their issues affect you."

Those doing the cyberbullying are not acting appropriately and are bein petty, according to Nixon.

You do You.

This is what Nixon says he tells kids who come to him at South Tahoe Middle School who have been bullied. He tells them they know what is best for themselves and not to worry about what bullies say or do.

"Many kids who have been bullied rise above it, but I want to reach those who are affected by believing what the bullies say," said Nixon.

The bully looses if the victim ignores what is being done, gives no reaction

But that is sometimes easier said than done.

Being cyberbullyied can make the kids feel helpless, but there are steps they can take to protect themselves and seek help. The most important thing to do is to talk to a trusted adult as soon as they realize there is a problem, according to the San Francisco-based group, Delete Cyberbullying. Their tips are listed below:

How to react to cyberbullying:

Ignore—Dr Sameer Hinduja and Dr. Justin W. Patchin of the Cyberbullying Research Center advise victims not to respond to “minor teasing or name calling” if they can avoid it. Sometimes bullies are encouraged by seeing a reaction.

Record—Keep a record of bullying messages you receive—in hard copy. If you can show an adult either the messages themselves or a diary of when you received them, it may be easier to verify what went on and who the bully was.

Reach out—Your parents, a favorite teacher, school administrators, counselors, and even police officers can help you deal with cyberbullying. Your state laws or your school’s policies may have rules against cyberbullying that these trusted adults can enlist to help you. It’s also helpful to talk to friends or a counselor so you can get their support when you are feeling upset by hurtful comments. There is no reason to suffer alone when you are the target of bullying.

Cut off the bully—The National Crime Prevention Council advises victims to stop all communication with the bully when possible. You may be able to block their phone number so you no longer receive their calls or texts. If that’s not possible, you might consider changing phone numbers. Facebook and instant messenger providers allow you to block other users so that they can no longer interact with you. If for some reason it’s not possible to block a cyberbully, you can always screen their calls and delete their messages without opening them.

Go high-tech—If you’re being bullied via a website, chances are that the bully is going against the website’s terms of use. Reporting bullies to the website administrator may get them kicked off the site. The National Crime Prevention Council highlights that on Facebook and Youtube, some of the most popular sites for cyberbullying activity, you can report cyberbullying incidents to the sites’ “safety centers.” The Cyberbullying Research Center also notes that your parents can help by getting in touch with your internet service provider, cell phone service provider, or content provider. In some cases, the providers can look into the bullying incident to uncover an anonymous bully and may also be able to take down offensive posts.

What Not to Do

­Sink to the bully’s level. Starting your own cyberbullying campaign against the bully will get you nowhere, especially if you end up breaking state laws or school rules.

Forward bullying content or messages. If someone sends you a bullying message, forwarding it to a friend only expands the problem. You never know how far an email chain can go.

Believe the bully. Don’t let bullies destroy your self-esteem. No one deserves to be harassed. Cyberbullies’ cowardly and destructive actions are often more about their own problems than they are about you. When bullying gets you down, talk about it with someone you trust who can build you back up.

Soroptimists of Tahoe Sierra and South Tahoe Now teamed up with South Tahoe Middle School and SLTPD Campus Resource Officer Jason Nixon to hold a poster contest for students with the goal of highlighting Digital Drama among students and others their age. Each day this week one of those posters will be highlighted with the winning posters announced at the end of the month. The Soroptimists are awarding the winning poster creator $50, second place $25 and third prize $5 and SLTPD is giving the 4th place a $5 gift card.