Technology gives bullies an edge

As school bullies switch to the internet to reach their victims, adults tasked with solving the bullying problem are struggling to keep up with rapidly changing technology, says a senior police sergeant.

Senior Sergeant Ross Lienert, the family violence and youth services co-ordinator for Marlborough and Tasman, is in Blenheim this week to run workshops at the Marlborough Violence Intervention conference.

He said technology had not made bullying easier or more accessible – it was simply a different medium. Many adults still struggled to understand the internet, texting or online social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook and Bebo, and they were the generation who were meant to help solve the problem, he said.

Mr Lienert said a trend was to video "degrading and humiliating" fights or bullying acts and put them online on YouTube.

Technology also meant bullies could reach more people in one go.

Groups could congregate within minutes thanks to a group text, Mr Lienert said.

While police had not been called to specific cases of videos of fights being posted online in Marlborough, he "couldn't imagine why it wouldn't have" happened here.

He said domestic violence and bullying were closely linked, with victims of domestic violence often becoming victims or the bully themselves.

Blenheim police attend between 15 and 20 domestic violence-related callouts a week.

About 25 per cent to 30 per cent were repeat offenders.

"The challenge for us and the agencies we work with is to reduce that repeat rate. Research shows women go back seven times [before they leave] ... but maybe we can reduce that to three or four times. But we are also wanting perpetrators to change as well."

Studies show up to a third of New Zealand women may be abused in relationships.

People often would say "she's silly, why does she go back?" rather than offering support, Mr Lienert said. "It is just about people talking about it and being prepared to confront it. The more people who understand it the stronger we become as a community to be able to deal with it."

Queen Charlotte College principal Tom Parsons urged parents to keep up to date with technology.

"Mum and Dad, get used to it. It's here, and it's only going to get faster."

He said technology had more advantages than disadvantages in schools and meant bullies could be discovered faster.

Bullies who used technology were able to be identified through a cellphone number, and it provided immediate evidence.

The school had a "zero tolerance" bullying policy. If it could not deal with an instance of bullying, police were then called in.

- The Marlborough Express