Cyberbullying is an issue that is very much in the news today and continues to be a talking point for many especially for those who would like to see an end to it.

There has been talk of legislation which would effectively criminalise it. Prior to any legislation, it appears that school patrons are now going to be keeping a log of incidents of bullying. This log will apparently label one party as a perpetrator and another party as a victim. It is claimed that this will act as a deterrent to bullies.

Just logging and labeling incidents where bullying and cyberbullying occur is not an answer or a solution in itself. A far better option would be to raise more awareness about the hurt that bullying and cyberbullying can cause. In individual cases, support should be provided to those suffering at the hands of cyberbullying and we should engage in a way that is not judgemental or confrontational so as to identify the reason(s) why someone might be seen to bully another person.

It is possible that some people who bully others can be bullied themselves and this may or may not be a contributory factor. The bully should not be automatically judged as being evil or perhaps a criminal (if legislation is introduced).

Everyone has a voice and a right to be heard. Everyone should be allowed to talk about what it is like for them.