When some think of cyber bullying, they may think of a group of students taking to the internet to harass and taunt another student who they don't necessarily like to associate with, understand, or express tolerance towards. But cyber bullying can also take place among a nation through our social networks on a wider scale. The nation can pass their judgments off videos and pictures they see of women particularly young girls performing sexual acts. Young men, in many instances immature boys, will tape and record these girls who are often naive and insecure. A young 14 year old girl by the name of Amber Cole is now being victimized as she was recorded performing a sexual act while others watched and did nothing. Now not only has she been watched by a couple of bystanders but by millions of Americans who are now passing judgment, blaming her parents, and the education system. As another girl probably around the same age attempted to defend Amber Cole, she too felt the wrath of internet viewers nationwide.
We can sit here and point fingers at these young fourteen year old girls and say, "well that's our youth today", but that would be a shame. Dismissing actions like these as something these "kids" do is failing to take responsibility as members of our society and nation. Instead of making fun and sneering at the one person who defended Amber Cole, we should have been more like her and stood up for this girl's dignity as it was taken away every second she was recorded. Our young girls, some lacking a father figure and others in search of the wrong male attention or victims of past sexual abuse, are failing to value themselves. While our young boys are becoming overly sexualized taking advantage of these young girls' insecurities and lack of high self-esteem.
Before you pass judgment on Amber Cole and all the girls like her right now, think to yourself what if this was your sister, cousin, best friend, and even more horrifyingly your daughter. You would be moved with pity and hurt that they would violate themselves and lose their self-worth in just a few short minutes. And every time a boy records and posts a video to humiliate another human being, he too violates his self-worth because he doesn't become worthy of respect for not being able to stop it. Young boys, sometimes victims of community violence towards women, won't grow up to know any better therefore creating a perpetuating cycle of abuse and lack of respect towards their own wives and children. It's a cycle that won't stop spinning till we do something to stop it. You would do every thing you can to speak with them and convince them that the path they are on is a sure way to unhealthy relationships, possible STDs, failure in academic settings, and developmental delays well into early adulthood.
Find a way to help these youth, they need us more than ever especially with their misguided usage of social networks. Mentor, tutor, and be a positive role model. Even better find a teenage girl or boy close to you (cousin, friend of a friend, daughter), and help navigate them to a path of academic success to be doctors, lawyers, and educators. They don't understand their potential. Help them. You may think it's not your duty, but the youth are our future. They are the ones who are to take care of the generation who came before them. How can that work if they are unable to take care of themselves? It starts with one person to view something wrong and change it to make it right.
The link to the "leave amber cole alone" video:
Her passion is something we should emulate to help prevent children from abusing their bodies, self-worth, and dignity.
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