Brody's Notes... Iowa State University Conducts National Study on Cyberbullying Of LGBT Youth

By Brody Levesque (Washington DC) Mar 10 | A new national study by Iowa State researchers Warren Blumenfeld and Robyn Cooper has found that one out of every two lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) and allied youths are regular victims of "cyberbullying," which causes psychological and emotional distress to victims -- producing thoughts of suicide in some who are repeatedly victimised. 

"There's a saying that we've now changed to read, 'Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can kill,'" said Warren Blumenfeld, an Iowa State assistant professor of curriculum and instruction and the study's lead author. "And especially at this age -- pre-adolescence through adolescence -- this is a time when peer influences are paramount in a young person's life. If one is ostracized and attacked, that can have devastating consequences -- not only physically, but on their emotional health for the rest of their lives." 

The results underscore the helplessness felt by victims of cyberbullying. Forty percent of the non-heterosexual respondents indicated that their parents wouldn't believe them if they were being bullied online, while 55 percent reported that their parents couldn't do anything to stop it. Fifty seven percent also indicated that they didn't think a school official could do anything to stop it.

"They feared that there might be more retribution by 'tattling,'" said Blumenfeld, who was bullied as a teen for being gay.

"One of the things we found is that the LGBT students really want to make a difference," said Cooper, who authored her doctoral dissertation on minority stress and the well-being of sexual minority college students. "They want their stories told. They want people to know what they're going through, but they don't want the repercussions of being bullied. So being able to respond to this survey was very helpful." 

Robyn Cooper & Warren Blumenfeld   Photo By Jaclyn Hansel 

The ISU study also proposes strategies for cyberbullying prevention. Eighty percent of the survey's respondents indicated that their peers should do more to stop it.

"One of the strategies coming out of this study - since respondents expect and want their peers to step in more - is that we should find ways on our campuses to empower young people to speak up and act as allies," Blumenfeld said. "In bullying circles, it's empowering the bystander to become the upstander to help eliminate the problem."

Blumenfeld and Cooper recommend developing social norms programming at schools that focus on peer influences that correct misperceived societal norms.

One in four of the LGBT and allied students responded that they needed to learn how to deal with cyberbullying by themselves. More than half also feared telling their parents about the cyberbullying because they might restrict their use of technology, which Blumenfeld says is often the "lifeline to the outside world" for many young LGBT students who have been ostracized by their peers at school. 
The study is being published in this month's special LGBT-themed issue of the International Journal of Critical Pedagogy, which is being released on Monday, March 15.