By Chad Klassen

Kamloops RCMP talk about the dangers of cyberbullying

Oct 5, 2016 | 5:09 PM

KAMLOOPS — It’s a very serious issue in this province and across the country, but cyberbullying is not going away anytime soon.

But often, by the time it’s discovered a person is being cyberbullied, the damage has already been done. In fact, 25% of teens admit they’ve been cyberbullied on their phone or the Internet.

Today, students spend more time on a computer or phone than any other generation. It’s why the Kamloops RCMP is going from school to school, educating students about the negative affects of cyberbullying.

WATCH: Full report by Chad Klassen

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“We deal with a lot of cyberbullying, a lot of online harrassment, and a lot of inappropriate posting, especially at the high school level,” says Cst. Sofie Winkels. 

The Kamloops RCMP has been involved a few cyberbullying incidents, getting information through School District 73. In fact, two years ago, three teenage boys were charged with the distribution of child pornography, a “sexting” case that eventually led to conditional discharges.

“It’s part of why we’re in elementary schools talking about privacy and permanence on the Internet, so that when they get to the high school level, they have resources to deal with the things that come up at a high school level,” says Winkels.

For many of the students watching the presentation, they were most surprised to hear their information is being sold online. The presentation by Cst. Winkels also helped them reflect on the effects their online behaviour can have on their peers. 

“I learned it’s really important to be nice to other people because it can be really hard,” said one student at Beattie Elementary. “Like when you go home, and then there’s someone being mean to you all the time. It’s not a nice sensation.”

If it continues, that’s what the Kamloops RCMP are for — to crack down on online predators. 

But the overarching message at Beattie Elementary School and other schools is how cyberbullying can impact a student’s life, both the bully and the bullied.

“Kids always say to me ‘oh, I’ll go to jail.’ Well, no, you’re not going to jail, but there’s a lot of lost friends, it does affect their ability for going to university and college, getting jobs in the future, and it affects their school communities, and that’s what we’re really here for — to make sure the school communities as safe as possible.”