Schoolchildren, their parents and teachers are about to get a kit to help them combat the increasing problem of cyberbullying.

Adelaide-based CQR says the Disconnect kit developed by its specialist consultant, Jody Melbourne, aims to equip students, parents and teachers with skills, strategies and insights to combat cyberbullies effectively.

Melbourne said online abuse was a serious problem nationally and “when harassment occurs not only at school but also in the home, outside of school hours and on weekends, students can feel extremely threatened, insecure and isolated.”
 
According to Melbourne, cyberbullying describes any harassment that occurs via the Internet, email, mobile/text or other communications network. Examples include posting private details on a blog, sending abusive SMS messages, spreading vicious rumours online and creating or posting nasty images and videos.
 
High profile psychologist and one of Australia’s foremost experts on bullying, Dr. Michael Carr-Gregg, is the keynote speaker at tomorrow’s launch of the kit. Dr Carr-Gregg is a founding member of the National Centre Against Bullying and an official ambassador for the National Depression Initiative, Beyondblue, as well as Mindmatters, one of 16 youth suicide prevention programs run by the Federal Government.

Jody Melbourne is described by CQR as a professional “ethical hacker” who has seen many ways that social networking sites can be exploited, and says his expertise provides parents and teachers with new insight into the nature of privacy and as well as practical advice for identifying and managing online abuse.

Melbourne says key suggestions from the Disconnect kit to combat cyberbullying include:
• The best approach to online harassment is to ignore it. Stop responding to abusive messages, don’t answer emails and sign out of chatrooms where harassment is occurring
• There is a lot of stupidity on the Internet, including certain people (“trolls”) who get a kick out of hiding behind an anonymous account and harassing innocent people. If you don’t respond to their insults or play their games, they get bored and move on to find new victims to annoy
• If someone online causes you to feel seriously threatened or distressed, be sure to save the evidence, such as emails and chat logs, and report the issue to school staff, your parents, or a trusted adult.