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Because I am still reeling from the shock of reading the malicious words used, I shall, at present, not reproduce them here.
The stress, embarrassment, fear and anxiety from being cyber-bullied has had adverse effects on my health.
The good that has come out of it is I am now more empathetic towards victims of cyber-bullying. I have long read about them online and in the papers, but now I know exactly how they feel.
Hence, I came up with this:
I chose the symbol of the ‘snowflake’ because what may seem pretty on the outside can have grim and not-so-glamorous origins – ” A snowflake begins to form when an extremely cold water droplet freezes onto a pollen or dust particle in the sky” (Source: NOAA).
When you see someone insulting another person online, you may find it funny or amusing, and you may even want to support that person’s actions by ‘liking’ their post or comment, or adding your comment into the abuse. However, when the intention is to hurt / insult / abuse another human being, there is nothing pretty about it. Question your intentions.
Also, let us not forget the chilling effects of cyber-bullying, or bullying in general. From self-mutilation to suicide, victims have tried their best to cope with (or escape from) cyber-bullying.
Articles to read:
1 in 4 secondary students ‘admits to cyber bullying’
1 In 3 Students In Singapore Have Been Victims Of Cyberbullying
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Some have asked me why I have decided not to suffer in silence like the rest of the people (or bloggers) who have been cyber-bullied. I draw strength from the words of one of our founding fathers, a man I deeply respect and admire, who fired up Singaporeans and told us to have the “guts and gumption” to stand up for ourselves, and who always sought to make Singapore a better place. If you are being cyber-bullied or if you think you are having an ordeal, stand up for yourself and apply for a Protection Order.
Ultimately, I wish for a better blogosphere, a calmer cyberspace, a safer Singapore. I am doing this for our children, our students, my fellow bloggers, and the public in general.
#SayNoToBullying
[For updates, follow me on Facebook (@thegracetan) or Instagram (@thegracetan)]
*Possibly the nicest thing Wendy has said about me (and which I can reproduce here) is that I have a “pathetic 314″ followers on Instagram, despite knowing that it is one of the social media platforms I am least active on. I have over 13,000 followers on Facebook and over 139,000 on Migme, but she chose to ignore them. Nevertheless, I will strive to update my Instagram account more often, so follow me (@thegracetan) if you agree to #SayNoToBullying.
[30th Mar 4.20pm EDIT: I apologize to anyone who is offended by my mention of one of SG’s founding fathers. I mean no disrespect.]
