A very good friend of mine told me about Jill’s Ride 4 Hope.  Jill Naber was an amazing, 15 girl who took her life after an embarrassing photo of herself was sent electronically and placed on an internet site.  As I’m typing this I am struggling to find the words…for her family and her friends.  The pain they have felt must be unimaginable.

After Jill’s death, a non-profit organization named CASSY quickly became an important resource at the Los Gatos High School, helping students, faculty and families, all free of charge. Jill’s Ride for Hope will help bring donations to help CASSY continue it’s incredible work.  If you would like to participate, the ride/walk is August 24, 2013.  Also, if you don’t live in the area and would like to donate that would be greatly appreciated too.  This link provides you with more information:  www.jillsrideforhope.com.

So how did this happen?  First, it’s a different world today, compared to when I was young.  When I was in school there was no internet…Facebook, cell phones. So – no “cyber bulling”.

But today, things have changed.  Cyber Bulling is horrible, and it’s happening all around us. I found a site called  www.dosomething.com which had some important facts about cyber bullying. First, “cyber bullying” is defined as a young person tormenting, threatening, harassing, or embarrassing another young person using the Internet or other technologies, like cell phones.  The psychological and emotional outcomes of cyber bullying are similar to those of real-life bullying. The difference is, real-life bullying often ends when school ends. For cyber bullying, there is no escape. And, it’s getting worse. Read on to get the facts.

1. Nearly 43% of kids have been bullied online. 1 in 4 has had it happen more than once.
2. 70% of students report seeing frequent bullying online.
3. Over 80% of teens use a cell phone regularly, making it the most common medium for cyber bullying.
4. 68% of teens agree that cyber bullying is a serious problem.
5. 81% of young people think bullying online is easier to get away with than bullying in person.
6. 90% of teens who have seen social-media bullying say they have ignored it. 84% have seen others tell cyber bullies to stop.
7. Only 1 in 10 victims will inform a parent or trusted adult of their abuse.
8. Girls are about twice as likely as boys to be victims and perpetrators of cyber bullying.
9. About 58% of kids admit someone has said mean or hurtful things to them online. More than 4 out 10 say it has happened more than once.
10. About 75% have visited a website bashing another student.
11. Bullying victims are 2 to 9 times more likely to consider committing suicide.

If you, or someone you know is experiencing cyber bulling, please reach out for help. The Center of Disease Control reports that suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death of children between 15 and 24 years of age, and the rate is increasing. Also, almost 20% of high school students have seriously thought of committing suicide. “Suicide is such a hush-hush topic,” Polly Naber says (Jill’s Mother). “Maybe if people talked about it more, you might be able to save lives.”

Important Links

Jill’s Ride 4 Hope information: www.jillsrideforhope.com

Center of Disease Control: http://www.cdc.gov/

CASSY Counseling and Support Services for Youth: http://cassybayarea.org/

A touching video made by one of her good friends: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gekI_UWsvZo