Gloucestershire police tackle online bullying
Today is national Safer Internet Day and Gloucestershire Police has been trying to keep the county’s children safe online with the Think U Know campaign.
It comes after The Citizen launched an anonymous online survey, last November, asking children to break their silence about bullying to try to find a way to curb the torment.
The results showed that children are still mainly being bullied in school rather than online. Some who responded said they were physically abused, others were tormented for their appearance.
Sergeant John Skilling from the Gloucestershire Police Schools Unit said: “As parents we do everything we can to protect our children in the ‘real’ world and this campaign urges us, and our children, to take similar precautions in the online world.”
“Here in Gloucestershire we are playing our part by working with schools and organising various activities to get these important messages out to as many people as possible.”
Police will be visiting schools throughout the week to encourage children to take care when communicating with other people on the web and by mobile phone.
The campaign also offers parents guidance on what they should do to make sure their children know about using the internet.
Pupils from The Kings School in Gloucester have already signed up to the campaign.
Cameron Dickie, junior school head master, said: “It is important that children and their parents are aware of potential risks when using the internet.
“When officers came to speak to our pupils, it was an eye-opener to see how quickly they latched on. A group of King’s Junior School girls got together to compose a ditty, based on the tune of ‘When the saints go marching in’ to highlight Think U Know, and pupils sang it at The Cross.”
County councillor Jackie Hall, cabinet member for schools, said: “Parents have to be aware of what their children are doing – who they talk to, who they are sharing photos with and who else can access this.”
Comment on this story