Cyberbullying & Cyberstalking

“What is Cyberbullying?” is one of the most frequent questions we are asked because many know what it is when it happens, but have trouble wrapping succinct descriptive words around it. Formally, we define it as “willful and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices” (from Bullying Beyond the Schoolyard: Preventing and Responding to Cyberbullying). We developed this definition because it is simple, concise, and reasonably comprehensive and it captures the most important elements. These elements include the following:

• Willful: The behavior has to be deliberate, not accidental.
• Repeated: Bullying reflects a pattern of behavior, not just one isolated incident.
• Harm: The target must perceive that harm was inflicted.
• Computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices: This, of course, is what differentiates cyberbullying from traditional bullying                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Learn more and make a report,                                                             Cyberbullying and Cyberstalking Research Center     https://cyberbullying.org/contact       

Time's Up Now (Sexual Assault, Harassment, Inequality)

1. Don’t be part of the problem. For starters, don’t harass anyone.


2. If a person who has been harassed tells you about it, believe them. Don’t underestimate how hard it is to talk about these things.


3. If you know someone who has been harassed, connect them to resources who can help, such as the ones found here.


4. If you are a witness or bystander and see a harassing situation, you can help the person being harassed. You could actually intervene. You could confront the harasser. You could also help the person get out of the harassing situation. If you cannot do any of these things, you can still support the harassed person by corroborating and confirming the account of what happened.


5. You can support those affected by sexual harassment by donating to the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund.


6. If you are part of an organization, look at the workforce and the leadership (management, officers, board of directors). Does it reflect the market where you operate and the world we live in? If not, ask why not and do something to move it closer to that goal.


7. Acknowledge that talent is equally distributed, but work and career opportunities are not. Mentor someone from an under-represented group in your industry. If you are in a position to do so, hire someone who can diversify the perspectives included in your organization; your team will be better and stronger for it.


8. You can vote with your wallet: in your purchasing, in your investing and in your charitable giving. Spend or give to companies and organizations who have more equitable leadership and opportunities for all.                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Learn more, https://www.timesupnow.com/