While the increased presence of social media has an impact on nearly everyone's daily lives, one group in particular is at risk to experience the more negative effects. Teenage girls are unfortunately subject to an influx of cyberbullying, according to a recent article by Erica Komisar.
Komisar is an author, psychoanalyst and parent coach. She wrote in England's The Times that social media has changed the face of bullying. She said that bullying back in the day was more contained because it was face-to-face.
"Right now, it's not contained. Now, instead of just a small group of kids bullying one girl, it then is sort of advertised to the whole school, or to all the schools in the area," Komisar said. "So it's really become a bigger issue because of technology. But it's also a bigger issue because I think parents don't necessarily know how to handle it. I think they feel helpless."
She added that girls have it harder because the bullying they experience is more psychological.
"Boys have always had the advantage of it becoming physical. I know that sounds like a strange thing to say," she said.
Komisar explained that traditionally, boys have been able to get a lot of aggression out through sports, while girls haven't always had that opportunity.
"Traditionally, girls have internalized a lot of their aggression, and it comes out in more passive aggressive and, I think, even more toxic ways," she said. "Gossiping and rumors and exclusivity and exclusion socially. So for girls, they used their words in a way that was toxic, and boys used their bodies in a way that was healthier."
Komisar said that parents need the proper tools to step in and intervene when their teen daughters are experiencing bullying. That includes being aware of the social issues and dynamics that their kids are experiencing, and also being as present as possible.
"I think we're under the misunderstanding as parents that our kids become teenagers, they seem not to need us, they seem to push us away so we can go away," she said. "But they don't really want you to go away. They really need you around as much as possible — they may not need you to be intrusive, but they need you to be present enough. So when they need you, you're there."
Hear more from Erica Komisar on how parents can help their kids through bullying:
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