cyberbullying & girls' online social performances

Cyberbullying and Girls’ Cyberbullying and Girls’ Online Social PerformancesOnline Social Performances

TLt Summit 2008: Learning in a Digital WorldTLt Summit 2008: Learning in a Digital World

Ashley A. QuarkAshley A. Quark

May 2008May 2008

What is cyberbullying?What is cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying refers to the use of Cyberbullying refers to the use of communication technologies such as communication technologies such as email, cell phones, chat rooms, instant email, cell phones, chat rooms, instant messaging, blogs, or personal websites messaging, blogs, or personal websites to send or post deliberate text or images to send or post deliberate text or images perceived to be cruel and harmful. perceived to be cruel and harmful.

(Belsey, n.d; Shek, 2004)(Belsey, n.d; Shek, 2004)

What does the research say?What does the research say?

60% of cybervictims are girls60% of cybervictims are girlsGirls and boys are cyberbullying Girls and boys are cyberbullying

at nearly equal ratesat nearly equal rates

(Li, 2007)(Li, 2007)

Research QuestionsResearch Questions

1) What are female adolescents’ 1) What are female adolescents’ perceptions and experiences of perceptions and experiences of cyberbullying?cyberbullying?

2) 2) How do female adolescents’ How do female adolescents’ performances of their socially performances of their socially constructed roles influence their role in constructed roles influence their role in cyberbullying?cyberbullying?

Participants & MethodParticipants & Method

Participants:Participants: 14 adolescent girls 14 adolescent girls between 13 and 18 years oldbetween 13 and 18 years old

Data Collection:Data Collection: Semi-structured Semi-structured interviews of 30-90 minutesinterviews of 30-90 minutes

Data Analysis:Data Analysis: Grounded theory Grounded theory

Theoretical FrameworkTheoretical Framework

Feminist PoststructuralismFeminist Poststructuralism

Nicki’s StoryNicki’s Story

Nicki’s Email Address:Nicki’s Email Address:

[email protected]@hotmail.com

The Fake Address:The Fake Address:

[email protected]@hotmail.com

Paulina’s StoryPaulina’s Storyhates Paulina:hates Paulina: I love your BFF page it suits you well I love your BFF page it suits you well NO FRIENDS!!! anyway I would like you to do everbody NO FRIENDS!!! anyway I would like you to do everbody a favour and stop putting pictures of you on this site a favour and stop putting pictures of you on this site (ecspecially when ur half naked and trying to make out (ecspecially when ur half naked and trying to make out with the camera!!! (put a gawddanm shirt on :( anyway I with the camera!!! (put a gawddanm shirt on :( anyway I hate the site almost as much as I hate you , you devil hate the site almost as much as I hate you , you devil child (you were sent here by deemons) were you child (you were sent here by deemons) were you adopted??? cuz you look like my fathers hairy assadopted??? cuz you look like my fathers hairy ass

Charlie Swenson: Charlie Swenson: This is the worst site i have ever This is the worst site i have ever seen before. In your only picture of yourself on the seen before. In your only picture of yourself on the page you look like something from a horror movie. page you look like something from a horror movie. Fuck it looks like a shriveled up piece of shit with lip Fuck it looks like a shriveled up piece of shit with lip stick. Fugly!!!stick. Fugly!!!

Central ArgumentCentral Argument

Bullying and cyberbullying should not be Bullying and cyberbullying should not be viewed as separate and distinct issues—the viewed as separate and distinct issues—the

same processes are taking place in both.same processes are taking place in both.


Effects of cyberbullying and girls’ Effects of cyberbullying and girls’ reactions and coping strategiesreactions and coping strategies



Effects of CyberbullyingEffects of Cyberbullying

Feelings of sadness and angerFeelings of sadness and angerBecoming isolated Becoming isolated Declining self-esteemDeclining self-esteemDeclining School PerformanceDeclining School PerformanceFeeling powerlessFeeling powerless

““Some of the things she Some of the things she said actually made me cry said actually made me cry and want to leave msn and and want to leave msn and

not want to go back to not want to go back to school at all.”school at all.”

““I was just like, ‘Wow! There must I was just like, ‘Wow! There must be something really wrong with be something really wrong with

me if people, like really don’t like me if people, like really don’t like me and they like put it so publicly me and they like put it so publicly and everyone can see this. There and everyone can see this. There

must be so many people who must be so many people who think I’m just so dumb.’ . . . I’d think I’m just so dumb.’ . . . I’d just be like, ‘What am I doing? just be like, ‘What am I doing?

What I am doing wrong? What’s What I am doing wrong? What’s wrong with me?’”wrong with me?’”

““I felt like I was so small. I did not I felt like I was so small. I did not feel big at all and like I felt like feel big at all and like I felt like those other girls, even though I those other girls, even though I was taller than them, I felt like was taller than them, I felt like

they were just 10 feet taller than they were just 10 feet taller than me. I felt small and I felt so weak me. I felt small and I felt so weak compared to them. . . .I felt that compared to them. . . .I felt that they had so much more power they had so much more power

than me.” than me.”

Reactions to CyberbullyingReactions to Cyberbullying

Responding—from vicious retaliation to Responding—from vicious retaliation to complete withdrawalcomplete withdrawal

Engaging in the situationEngaging in the situation

““She started, like started calling us She started, like started calling us like sluts and hoes and whores like sluts and hoes and whores and like streetwalkers and just and like streetwalkers and just stuff like that and then after a stuff like that and then after a

while we’d just start saying it back while we’d just start saying it back because we’d had enough of it.”because we’d had enough of it.”

““I could have blocked his I could have blocked his address. I don’t know why I address. I don’t know why I

never did.”never did.”

““I didn’t want to be like them and I didn’t want to be like them and create my own website about create my own website about

them ‘cause I knew how it felt and them ‘cause I knew how it felt and I knew that, well honestly, if I was I knew that, well honestly, if I was

feeling this bad right now, why feeling this bad right now, why would I even want to put that kind would I even want to put that kind

of pain on anyone else?”of pain on anyone else?”

““I started obsessing a lot on the I started obsessing a lot on the computer. I started going on a lot more. computer. I started going on a lot more.

Like just checking out sites, just Like just checking out sites, just making sure that nobody’s talking about making sure that nobody’s talking about me. I’d go on msn and make sure. . . . me. I’d go on msn and make sure. . . . Like I just over-obsessed about it. Like Like I just over-obsessed about it. Like

I’d go on everyday for like 2 hours, 3 I’d go on everyday for like 2 hours, 3 hours sometimes, just making sure that hours sometimes, just making sure that no one’s talking about me, there’s no no one’s talking about me, there’s no

websites about me.”websites about me.”

Coping with CyberbullyingCoping with Cyberbullying

Receiving supportReceiving supportDisengaging and moving beyondDisengaging and moving beyondChanneling emotions elsewhereChanneling emotions elsewhere

““My one friend wrote a long My one friend wrote a long comment like, if she ever found comment like, if she ever found

out who it was, she’s going to kick out who it was, she’s going to kick their ass for putting stuff like that their ass for putting stuff like that

on there. And she was pretty on there. And she was pretty much the only one that stood up much the only one that stood up

for me.”for me.”

““When I got that one about my When I got that one about my boyfriend breaking up with me, boyfriend breaking up with me, my mom really helped me and my mom really helped me and

tried to figure out who it could be tried to figure out who it could be or like why it happened.”or like why it happened.”

““That’s kind of when they [the That’s kind of when they [the cyberbullies] got even more mad cyberbullies] got even more mad was when, you know, was when I was when, you know, was when I

told on them so they got even told on them so they got even more angry, and . . . it just got more angry, and . . . it just got

even bigger and grew to be even bigger and grew to be enormous.:” enormous.:”

““I had like a folder of all the emails I had like a folder of all the emails that he had sent me and in a year that he had sent me and in a year and a half there was about 700 in and a half there was about 700 in there and he [my teacher] was the there and he [my teacher] was the

one that got me to delete them one that got me to delete them all.”all.”

Effects, Reactions, & Coping StrategiesEffects, Reactions, & Coping Strategies

The effects of cyberbullying as well as girls’ reactions and coping

strategies parallel those of conventional bullying, thus drawing

parallels between the two.





Girls (re)perform the same roles as Girls (re)perform the same roles as victim and/or bully both online and victim and/or bully both online and face-to-faceface-to-face

““I think it’s a little harsher online I think it’s a little harsher online because people feel protected, because people feel protected, kinda safer, than if they were in kinda safer, than if they were in real life. Like no one can get real life. Like no one can get them or hurt them back. It’s them or hurt them back. It’s

online and it’s not real life and no online and it’s not real life and no one else is listening.”one else is listening.”





Complex power relations at the Complex power relations at the heart of both bullying and heart of both bullying and cyberbullyingcyberbullying

Girls (re)perform the same roles as Girls (re)perform the same roles as victim and/or bully both online and victim and/or bully both online and face-to-faceface-to-face

Denigration of the female bodyDenigration of the female body

““It was always stuff like sexual wise about It was always stuff like sexual wise about me being a slut or stuff like that.”me being a slut or stuff like that.”

““Your daughter’s nothing but a lying slut, tell Your daughter’s nothing but a lying slut, tell Sofia thanks for the herpes, I’m sending Sofia thanks for the herpes, I’m sending

you the doctor bills for the pills I now have you the doctor bills for the pills I now have to take.” to take.”

““If a guy like flashed a girl, it would If a guy like flashed a girl, it would be like, whatever, but if a girl be like, whatever, but if a girl

flashed a guy, it would be like, flashed a guy, it would be like, ‘You’re a big slut.’” ‘You’re a big slut.’”

Marginalization through Marginalization through HeteronormativityHeteronormativity

““People were starting to make fake names People were starting to make fake names on there and writing very very mean stuff, on there and writing very very mean stuff, like, that I was a lesbian and everythinglike, that I was a lesbian and everything.”.”

Marginalization through Marginalization through Race/AncestryRace/Ancestry

““In grade 6 they made fun of me for being In grade 6 they made fun of me for being a Russian, even though I’m not Russian, a Russian, even though I’m not Russian, but they made fun of me. They would all but they made fun of me. They would all like laugh at me, call me names and stuff, like laugh at me, call me names and stuff, and they’d be like, “Oh you Russian.” And and they’d be like, “Oh you Russian.” And the one girl, as I was walking to my bus, the one girl, as I was walking to my bus, she ran and jumped on my back and like I she ran and jumped on my back and like I fell in the mud and then so this one girl fell in the mud and then so this one girl called that the “Russian Attack.”called that the “Russian Attack.”

ImplicationsImplications from Participantsfrom Participants Provide educationProvide educationPractice Online SafetyPractice Online Safety

““They [teachers and principals] talk about They [teachers and principals] talk about bullying stuff, but they always talk about bullying stuff, but they always talk about

bullying face-to-face. Like you see all these bullying face-to-face. Like you see all these posters up around school and they don’t even posters up around school and they don’t even talk to us about stuff on the Internet and that talk to us about stuff on the Internet and that sort of thing happens. I think like they’re not sort of thing happens. I think like they’re not

concentrating on how things are actually going. concentrating on how things are actually going. We get lots of videos, lots of talks, lots of We get lots of videos, lots of talks, lots of posters, lots of activities even, like about posters, lots of activities even, like about

bullying, and they never say anything about bullying, and they never say anything about the Internet. . . . They never talk about it at the Internet. . . . They never talk about it at

school, and I think that’s probably what they school, and I think that’s probably what they need to do ‘cause, I mean, even if you don’t need to do ‘cause, I mean, even if you don’t

stop it completely, it’s bound to help.”stop it completely, it’s bound to help.”

ImplicationsImplications from Existing Literaturefrom Existing Literature Never give your password to anyone other than a Never give your password to anyone other than a

parent/guardian. parent/guardian. Don’t share secrets, photos, or anything online that might Don’t share secrets, photos, or anything online that might

be embarrassing if someone (an entire school) found out. be embarrassing if someone (an entire school) found out. Don’t send messages when you’re angry to avoid saying Don’t send messages when you’re angry to avoid saying

something you’ll regret later. something you’ll regret later. Be a good cyberfriend—don’t send e-mails or IMs written Be a good cyberfriend—don’t send e-mails or IMs written

by a friend to anyone else without that friend’s permission. by a friend to anyone else without that friend’s permission.

Be as nice online as you are offline. Be as nice online as you are offline. Know that if you act like a cyberbully, there will be Know that if you act like a cyberbully, there will be

consequences/punishment. consequences/punishment. (Chisholm, 2006, p. 85)(Chisholm, 2006, p. 85)

ImplicationsImplications My RecommendationsMy Recommendations

Prevention and intervention must Prevention and intervention must address the marginalization of address the marginalization of

students within socially constructed students within socially constructed systems of power and privilege.systems of power and privilege.

ImplicationsImplications My RecommendationsMy Recommendations AdministratorsAdministrators

Provide anti-oppressive education for teachersProvide anti-oppressive education for teachersAssess bullying and cyberbullying problems at your Assess bullying and cyberbullying problems at your

schoolschoolProvide education for parentsProvide education for parents

Teachers and CounsellorsTeachers and CounsellorsTake an anti-oppressive approach in the classroom Take an anti-oppressive approach in the classroom

and in all interactions with studentsand in all interactions with studentsAddress bullying in class and hallways Address bullying in class and hallways

Questions and DiscussionQuestions and Discussion

ReferencesReferences

Belsey, B. (n.d). Cyberbullying.org. Retrieved Belsey, B. (n.d). Cyberbullying.org. Retrieved October 10, 2006, from http://cyberbullying.org.October 10, 2006, from http://cyberbullying.org.

Chisholm, J. F.(2006). Cyberspace violence Chisholm, J. F.(2006). Cyberspace violence against girls and adolescent females. against girls and adolescent females. New York New York Academy of Sciences, 1087Academy of Sciences, 1087, 74-89. , 74-89.

Li, Q. (2007). New bottle but old wine: A research Li, Q. (2007). New bottle but old wine: A research on cyberbullying in schools. on cyberbullying in schools. Computers and Computers and Human Behavior, Human Behavior, 23(4), 1777-1791.23(4), 1777-1791.

Shek, K. (2004). Faceless ‘cyberbullies’ pose new Shek, K. (2004). Faceless ‘cyberbullies’ pose new challenges to schools. challenges to schools. Education Daily, 37Education Daily, 37(201), (201), 1-2.1-2.

cyberbullying & girls' online social performances

Technology

worst site i

girls girls

experiences of cyberbullying

girls reactions

adolescent girls

coping strategies bullying

coping strategies parallel

central argument bullying