How Do Bullies Choose Their Victims?

Cyberlutions Team • April 30, 2024
A young boy is looking through a wooden fence.

Over the past decade, as young people have shifted their social lives online, bullying has also found its way to digital platforms, leading to a new form of bullying known as cyberbullying.

Cyberbullying involves showing hurtful or harmful behaviour through information and communication technology, where bullies use devices like smartphones, computers, and tablets to harass or threaten other people. In fact, it can take various forms — from sending malicious texts and emails to posting comments on social media or using public or private forums to target victims.

Researches show that about 44% of young Australians report having a negative online experience. Among these incidents, 15% were those who received direct threats or faced abusive behaviour.

Cyber harassment is disturbing because it is often carried out anonymously and victims might not have any idea of who the bully is.

In most cases, bullies choose their victims wisely; they generally target people with:

Public Online Presence

A person is holding a cell phone in front of two monitors.


Bullies often move towards people with a significant online presence.


Those who maintain a high level of activity across various social media platforms find themselves being bullied because of their frequent connections and posts.


Their visibility in the digital world attracts unwanted attention and makes them more accessible and vulnerable to malicious attacks.



Vulnerabilities


Bullies often choose people who show vulnerabilities or seem easy to manipulate. These vulnerabilities could manifest in various forms, such as insecurity or low self-esteem.


Those who show any signs of emotional weakness or uncertainty about themselves may become the primary victims of cyberbullies. The reason is that such individuals are perceived as easy targets for manipulation or emotional harm through online interactions.


Social Status

A woman is sitting by a lake at night looking at her cell phone.


Bullies also select victims based on their social status.


Social status in this context means popularity, influence, and acceptance within a particular community or social circle.


People who occupy lower positions or are less popular may become targets of cyberbullying. This targeting comes from jealousy, insecurity, or a desire to assert dominance over others.


Sometimes, bullies also go after people who are already facing hard times in their real lives because they think that these people won’t have much support and can be a much easier target than others.



Personal Characteristics

A little girl is covering her face with her hands on a black background.


Bullies might choose victims based on their personal characteristics.


These characteristics include:


  • Age: Younger people are often targeted by cyberbullies because of a lack of experience in handling online disputes.


  • Gender: Gender biases may lead to targeting individuals (for example, feminist groups) depending on different societal expectations.


  • Race: Race can also become a reason for cyberbullying, as individuals may be targeted due to their ethnicity or culture.


  • Sexual Orientation: Some of the most brutal bullying incidents have involved children who are bullied because of their sexual orientation, particularly those individuals who identify as LGBTQ+.


  • Physical Appearance: Almost any type of physical characteristic that is different or unique attracts the attention of bullies. It doesn’t matter what it is — the victim can be short, tall, slim, or obese; the bully will pick the feature and use it as a target.


  • Past Conflicts: Unresolved disputes fuel the bullies to continue their aggression. People involved in conflicts, whether online or offline, often find themselves vulnerable to harassment. Past conflicts may also create a negative view of the victim within certain social circles, making them an easier target.


In each case, cyberbullies aim to impose emotional suffering and maintain dominance over their target.


Past Conflicts

A young boy is sitting at a table using a laptop computer.


Unresolved disputes fuel the bullies to continue their aggression.


People involved in conflicts, whether online or offline, often find themselves vulnerable to harassment. The anonymity of online platforms further encourages bullies to accelerate their actions as they know they can easily avoid the direct consequences of their actions.


Past conflicts may also create a negative view of the victim within certain social circles, making them an easier target. This progressing victimisation can worsen the psychological impact of conflicts, leading the victims toward stress and feelings of helplessness



Financial Motives

A man in a mask is sitting at a desk in front of a computer in a dark room.


Bullies frequently target individuals with financial motives.


Those who demonstrate a lack of awareness about cybersecurity or are easily manipulated particularly find themselves at risk. Attackers prey on these vulnerabilities, exploiting weaknesses in their victim’s online security or privacy settings to breach sensitive information.


Once personal information is obtained, cyberbullies can spread false rumours and pressure victims in accordance with their demands. 



Random Targeting

A laptop and a tablet are on a wooden desk


In contrast to bullying based on personal characteristics, financial motives, or past conflicts, some bullies choose their victims randomly.


They do so due to their desire for power, control, or simply to cause harm.


Their actions lack a particular motive or reason, making it challenging for victims to defend themselves, as they do not have any past conflict with the bullies. Random targeting can occur across various online platforms, where anonymity provides opportunities for bullies to harm anyone without any problem.



What Are the Tactics Cyberbullies Use?

Bullying can include both overt (openly demonstrated or easily observed by others) and covert (hidden or not easily detectable by others) tactics.


Let’s discuss some of the most common methods used by the bullies:



Anonymous Accounts

Bullies create fake profiles on social media platforms or use anonymous messaging apps to hide their identities. By doing so, they can harass their victims without revealing who they are, which makes it difficult for victims to defend themselves.



Manipulative Tactics

Bullies often utilise manipulative tactics which can deeply affect victims' psychology, causing confusion, self-doubt and emotional trauma.

These manipulative tactics involve:



  • Emotional Manipulation: Use guilt, fear, or intimidation to control and manipulate the victim’s emotions.


  • Pretending to Befriend the Victim: Acting friendly and supportive towards the victim with the intention of hurting them emotionally.


All these tactics can cause psychological distress and ruin the victim's sense of self-worth.


Public Shaming

A young boy is sitting on a rock covering his face with his hands.


Public shaming is a tactic used by bullies to embarrass their victims in front of a wide audience.


This can take various forms, such as sharing private information, photos, or videos about the victim publicly without their permission.



The impact of public shaming can be severe, leading the victims to feelings of shame, embarrassment, and isolation. Moreover, public shaming can have long-term consequences on the victim’s personal and professional life as well.


How Can You Take Action Against Cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying is a problem, especially for people who spend much of their time on digital devices.


Therefore, it becomes crucial to learn how to identify the signs of cyberbullying so that you can take proper action against cyberbullies and protect yourself as well as the people around you.


Most social media platforms have options for reporting abusive behaviour. You can simply report instances of cyberbullying to the platform administrators.


But in severe cases of cyberbullying like threats, harassment, or defamation, you can take legal action.


As an Australian citizen, you can apply for Form F72 with certain information, or you can directly contact the Human Rights Department of Australia to report bullying. If you have been bullied or witnessed others being bullied and need help, you can contact:


For Kids Helpline: Call (1800 55 1800) or you can contact at http://www.kidshelp.com.au/


For Life Line: Call (13 11 14) or simply visit http://www.lifeline.org.au


Australian Human Rights Commission: Call (1300 656 419) or visit http://www.humanrights.gov.au/complaints_information/index.html


You can check many other useful resources that give you information about cyberbullying, cyber racism, and cyber harassment.


These resources also tell you how to report these threats and take legal action against them.


Well…


That’s all.



Let’s conclude our talk here.


Summary

Cyberbullying poses a significant threat to the physical and mental health of individuals, particularly children and teenagers.


Bullies can target victims based on their vulnerabilities, social status, or online presence. The tactics used by bullies can have devastating effects on the victims, causing emotional trauma and long-term consequences.


It is essential to identify the signs of cyberbullying and take legal action against it.


I hope you found this post helpful. If yes, do share it with others.



Regards!

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