Charley Lucy · @charleylucy
9th Jan 2015 from TwitLonger
#Cyberbullying
I've just been told about some rather nasty tweets posted last night accusing me of bullying. I am not here to snipe, this post is about the much larger issue of #cyberbullying and I would appreciate you reading it. It's something, as an online society we need to talk about.
To say I am shocked is an understatement. I can say first hand that bullying in the playground and cyberbulling are horrific and cruel and I would never wish them upon anyone, let alone act upon them.
For the past four years I have been a victim of cyberbullying from the same individual, on multiple occasions, of which this is the latest. From indirect tweets to harassment, psychological bullying over social media has completely alienated me in the past. It's such an obscure thing to get a picture of unless it's happening to you.
Twitter, I don't want your support in this, I just want your understanding that a lot of people, especially young people, go through this today and the online blocking facillities on Twitter are completely inadequate - allowing individuals to literally get away with certain kinds of harrassment in their T+Cs. This NEEDS to change.
Cyberbullying not only has immediate consequences but can make waves for years to come. And I refuse to be a victim anymore. So please, don't believe everything you read online, but please take something away from reading this.
The act of witchunting is vulgar and it is wrong to attach names to such accusations, which is why I never will, besides I don't think they're essential to the point I am making...
The only way this cruel, online phenomeon is ever going to stop is with you - putting an end to it. So instead of replying to this tweet spread this message, if YOU see someone being trash talked online or someone who is being cruel - just think two things, firstly: regardless of the matter does that really require permenantly stamping itself online? And what if that was you on the othet side? I may not need your support, but others still do.
If you're someone, or maybe you know someone going through this, I promise you are not as alone as you feel staring into that laptop screen. There ARE places online you can go and people you can talk to (school councillors are the best!). And I know it's hard because a lot of people don't understand the issue, they think you can just block them and the issue will go away. So I want you to know that my inbox is always open, from a girl who has been through it, and you will get through it too.
Finally, from me to that individual all I ask is that you now leave me alone for good and stop causing heartache, PLEASE. I made it clear a long time ago that I want nothing more to do with you and I ask you to leave me in peace so that we can both move on.
Please end #cyberbulling.
Thank you.