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Three Steps to Stopping a Cyberbully

End Harassment Online with 'Stop, Block and Tell'

By , About.com Guide

Are you a victim of cyberbullying? Since 1999, youth IM users have reported a nine percent increase in online harassment, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

If you are subjected to violent, crude, harassing or unwanted sexual contact from another IM user, you can count yourself among those statistics: you are a victim of cyberbullying. The good news is that you are not alone and you don’t have to accept their actions.

Ready to stop the abuse? StopCyberbullying.org suggests victims take action with these steps:

  • Stop chatting with your cyberbully as soon as you have identified yourself as a victim of harassment online.

  • Block the cyberbully from contacting you by using your IM client’s block feature.

  • Tell an adult and then report the harassment to the IM client and local law enforcement.

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