Veil of anonymity

" Information Age cyber bullied children are relentlessly tormented 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year.”

Megan Meier, a thirteen year old, battling with depression and weight loss, was made to believe by a former girl friend that an imaginary boy Josh is in love with her. When a message saying," the world would be a better place without you." was posted on her MySpace account, this little angel give in just three weeks before her fourteenth birthday!

Ryan Patrick Halligan, had a learning disorder. When a popular girl he had crush on told him she likes him, was later the one who started the rumor that he is gay. But Ryan after winning the first fight against his bullies lost it to cruel taunts, words and actions. He committed suicide at the sweet too innocent age of 13!

Amanda Todd, a 16 years old was haunted by her past whenever she tries to leave it behind. After acquiring some compromising photos of her, the stalker used to blackmail her. On October 10, 2012 after finding no escape because the internet is everywhere she ended her life!

And the list goes on. The souls engulfed by this cowardice act are beyond count. People who were shamed due to their short comings. Who were not accepted for who they were. Rumors later becoming remorse. The course to seek revenge resulted in stopping someone's breathing. Religion, casts, gender, colour based differences forcing humans to commit inhuman crimes! Cyber bullying uncovers a dark side of our society. It exists, it happens. Victims are forgotten, many are unknown and new innocents falls into the same death trap!

Who would have thought that with the advancing technology and internet accessibility with other social networks will have such devastating results. Hiding behind the screens, their fingers moves quickly on their keyboards. In their cyberspace they are free to humiliate, harass, and threaten anyone. The core objective is same for all of therm. A need for power, control and recognition. They let out their insecurities by a perfect combination of sinister and industrious science of online abuse. They let go off their frustration by making the deception that you are less. What most of us don't understand is that it affects real lives. After having one million children as victims of cyber bullying in 2011, was a reminder how easily lives could get lost to cyber bullying! It's sadly a vital part of today's world. We all contribute in it. We all are equally responsible for it.

Taunting people about their skin color, making them feel less about their heights, leaking reputation damaging photos, passing comments about someone's choice of life, we do it on daily basis. It's like we are entitled to crush their mental health just because so many other people are doing. Just ask yourself the girl who is called fat, doesn't she know the fact? How will it make her feel if ten thousand people are shouting it at her? The girl who was labelled as slut because of her dress choice, do you have a least clue how happy she was to wear that dress? The boy who was called gay, even if he is, does he need your consent about it? Do you have a least clue how your single typed word can destroy the way someone thinks or act?

What I, being a girl, felt most is the one specific aspect of cyber bullying. It was leaking of photographs. Thousands of lives have been ruined because of one foolish step. When somehow, someone decides that they have a right to play with next person's life. They have a right to punish them for their mistakes!

"She dared to say no to me bro, wait and watch what I'll do!"

"That bitch broke up with me, I'll teach her a lesson."

"Dude she just insulted you, just leak those pictures."

 One single picture! One single person! It will then go on traveling form one screen to another. It will be shared on different platforms. It will be saved on many devices. It will be recycled in such shameful forms. It will be seen by many eyes. Each eyes unconsciously contributing in destroying someone's existence! See, how easy to make someone pay. To make them feel sorry. To make them end their life. A woman belonging to any state, religion, country or continent fears for her honor! She may seems like she don't care, but she do.Deep down you don't know what hurts someone strong so much that they reach their limit! Just because she trusted you with her pictures don't make her regret that. Just because her account is public doesn't mean she won't mind. Just because there is a cover photo doesn't mean you can steal it.

In many examples the invisible hand providing with blemishing information is a girl. It's hard to accept, but it's true. We could never know the deformed shape that hatred build upon insecurities can acquire. We could never know the limits someone is willing to cross just to satisfy their jealousies. Her bold imagine might have frighten you that's why you call her a whore. Her distinctive figure might have stire something inside that's why you started calling her with objectifying names. Her strong build up might have made you look week that's why you started the rumors about her being masculine. Her separate nature was too hard to accept so you started provoking others against her. But you were a friend too. Sympathizing with her when people started a group online against her. You were with her when her images were posted and shared online. You were with her when she was scared to open her messages. You were there all times. That's how a chain reaction starts and many of us never know the crucial part we play until it ends.

We have enter such a strange space of our own creating. Where a son is afraid to tell his mother that people are bullying him online. Where a boy if shows sings of anxiety is quickly told to man up! Where girls are scared to tell their brothers that someone online is harassing them. Where friends do not stand up because the fight is against someone unknown. We don't take these things seriously. In reality there are families in this world who are morning the loss of their child because people were mean on the other side of screen. Because they didn't realize that one hateful word could have deadly result. One picture could be the a life forever scar. A gossip can humiliate someone for the rest of their lives. Your one wrong comment can set a person on a journey from where they might never return.

But we always find some explanation to justify our stand. Maybe if for once we all accept the mistake
without creating trouble, it can be solved. Stop being part of something hateful just because everyone is doing it. Don't share humiliating stuff just because everyone is. Stop forwarding a rumor. Break that chain resulting in massive casualties. Don't make it difficult for someone to breath freely. Almost all the time cyber bullying is taking place in front of you, don't be a bystander. Lend a helping hand and don't be afraid to stand up and speak out.

A cyber bullied person won't say " I am a cyberbully victim." Instead they'll assume that no one can help them or understand them. It's really important to let them know that we got their back. It's really important to help they get over it. It's up to us to tell them that those bullies does not control the victims life. There are examples where they were brought to justice and paid for their wrong doings. Life can return to normalcy. It's essential to teach the victim how to react to ensure that the nightmare ends before it's too late.

We have to recognize cyber bullying for what it is, or the suffering of thousands of silent victims will continue. It's prime time that we start raising sons teaching them respect. Daughters with less insecurities. We have to learn to accept people for who they are. We have to learn that they are free to make their choices. There is so much good to talk about. If you are a victim of cyber bullying or you know someone who might be, help them out. Raise your voice and let them know they are not alone in this. Let them know that there are better ways to resolve this. Taking once life is not an option. It's never an options. You are worth it, no matter how many times someone told you otherwise, you really are. Don't quit just because of certain few!
Help other's when they need it people. We have lit enough candles. We have made enough dedicational pages. Now is the time to change it. Don't let any human get trap in the web of cyber bullying. Take actions to tackle cyber bullying. You can make a difference. You can change everything.