by The psychological stress that results from cyberstalking and cyberbullying is difficult to resolve alone. That is why people must get emotional support when they are harassed online. It is easy to tell yourself to ignore it, and tell yourself that the people doing the stalking and bullying aren’t worth your emotions. It is much harder to actually ignore it, and it can get pretty dark if you don’t find support.
Of course, seeking support from friends and family is great. But many times the topics involved in cyberbullying are meant to be private. They may involve embarrassing moments or sexual encounters. A family may not be able to provide proper support for a multitude of reasons. Thankfully, there are many emotional support resources for cyberstalking/cyberbullying.
Resources
- Cyber Civil Rights Initiative (CCRI)
The CCRI’s mission is to fight the abuse that happens online, both nonconsensual pornography and other forms of abuse. They offer a crisis helpline (844)-878-2274 (CCRI). At this number, they have trained professionals ready to offer information and support to get you the help you need to end the abuse. They can also refer you to other services such as legal or counseling services.
Their website offers information about how to get started removing abusive online content. They also have a list of attorneys by state that handle cases like this for no or very little charge. Finally, they have TONS of easily accessible information about what you should expect during the course of experiencing and resolving the trauma you suffer during the course of cyber abuse.
One of the reasons CCRI is so impactful is that it was started by Holly Jacobs, Ph. D., who was a victim of nonconsensual pornography. She started the End Revenge Porn (ERP) Campaign in 2012 and incorporated it into CCRI in 2013. It is a relief to get support from people who truly understand what it’s like to be a victim of cyberbullying or cyberstalking. - r/cyberbullying
Redditors may already be aware of the supportive communities that can be found on the Reddit platform. If you are unwilling to seek out formal help for your situation, Reddit can be a good solution. On the subreddit, r/cyberbullying, there is a community against cyberbullying where you can post advice, vent your complaints, and basically get support for any online bullying or stalking.
Not convinced that this would be effective? Reddit has the power of numbers. In 2012, a girl complained on Reddit that a girl was cyberbullying her, and her school was not taking it seriously despite multiple reports. Unfortunately, this is typical and probably made the girl feel helpless. The bully was even telling the girl to kill herself. Once she complained on Reddit, there was an outpouring of support. Four thousand supportive comments came in, and the school was emailed by multiple supportive Redditors. The girl received the support she needed to get action. - HeartMob
HeartMob is a different site from CCRI in that it provides a bot to handle your abuser directly along with providing traditional services. Their Heartbot is revolutionizing the fight against cyber bullying by fighting in a very non-violent way. A victim registers, flags a Tweet, and then Heartbot sends a friendly message that it is donating money to fight online harassment like the one flagged. It’s ingenious. Many online abusers only become cyberbullies because of the anonymity the internet provides. There are no consequences. In this case, they’ve been caught red-handed, and they can stop or suffer future consequences. Make sure to check out HeartMob’s other resources once the abuse is stopped. You will still need help healing and moving forward even after the threat has been removed. - The Cybersmile Foundation
This foundation’s website is a game changer for those who want to understand more about cyberbullying. It offers definitions of different cyber terms and how they became cyberbullying techniques. Additionally, it offers support to victims of cyberbullying. Victims can email help@cybersmile.org to get in touch with a trained professional who can guide you to additional resources. Cybersmile’s website is so comprehensive, it is difficult to describe it. To sum it up, it is worth a look if you are looking for friendly, compassionate, and knowledgeable help. - The Cyberbullying Research Center
Sometimes victims of cyberbullying and cyberstalking simply need more information. It can help to eliminate the feelings of solitude that this type of abuse often brings. It can also be empowering. The Cyberbullying Research Center’s webpage has everything from laws about cyberbullying and sexting to resources about where to get help. It is one of the most voluminous sites about cyberbullying, and it has a tremendous amount of value.
There are many options out there for emotional support resources for cyberstalking and cyberbullying, and many of them are effective. The challenge is finding the right support as the victim, and that is a highly personal choice.
