Bullying Inside the Deaf/HOH Community Rehashed

It's sad whenever (cyber)bullying occurs by deaf/hh bullies in the deaf/hh community whether bullies know sign language or not over deafness-related issues or that the target has a communication preference different from others as a reason for the attack. Recently an unfortunate circumstance occurred a few days ago in a Facebook forum that got out of control between two adults with one being the obvious aggressor. Equally unfortunate was that the author of the Bullying Inside the Deaf/HOH Community article used the situation by making unfounded assertions.  The admin of this Deaf/HH Blogs FB group, yours truly, had already rectified the situation as already explained yesterday, April 10th, under Aaron's post that began on March 27, 2013 (scroll down until you see Aaron's March 27 posting).

If you click on "members" in the upper right part of the FB you can see who currently are members. The said person is no longer a member since yesterday. It is understandable that Sveta is upset with what has happened. One thread was already removed yesterday. I already explained on the day of the incident that I will need to sit down and read what was going on before deciding what I needed to do since I've been busy away from home. People here do have the option to not respond to an offensive post. People are mature enough to recognize when to stop and let the admin handle it should it get out of hand. This is a low volume FB group and it just so happens personality and conviction clashed.

I purposely let the Aaron thread alone so others can see exactly what had happened and how perspectives, feelings, and beliefs can vary widely even in the deaf/hh community regarding communication access and deafness-related issues. I have made my points clear more than a few times that any hearing loss organization should be prepared to provide the proper communication access when requested by deaf or hard of hearing individuals. Not doing so make them a hypocrite organization. There is a difference when one tries to accommodate vs those who do not try at all and flat out refuse such service.

This is also a reminder that even those in the deaf/hh community (non-signers) still need to be educated on the value of communication access and the need to help others feel accepted in the community. And conversely, some in the culturally deaf community need to be educated as well.

The discussion did stop on March 28 with Aaron's initial post that began on March 27th. However, the discussion was picked up again on April 10th, Wednesday, almost two weeks later after it stopped and it all went downhill quickly after that. I addressed the incident on April 12, Friday coming off of a week long multiple projects that required my attention. I can't always hover around each and every posts that get submitted and follow each every comments made. There's a reason why you turn off your FB apps on your phone.  In this situation some give and take are needed as well maintaining proper sensibilities.

The bickering made worse when ad hominem attacks were used instead of using cogent arguments to make the case.  Feelings ran high, people made rash decisions and rash words. But because emotion was running high so soon after that incident the author of Bullying Inside the Deaf/HOH Community who felt victimized by the whole incident, and I don't blame her, decided to use my name to skew the situation unfairly.

Bullying inside the deaf/hh community, especially in the culturally deaf community, isn't new. It has been going on for years. I've written many topics on cyber/bullying in my blog (see http://tinyurl.com/d99o7d4 ) and I have been a target myself many times because of my views and opinions. I don't see myself as a victim but rather that some people still need to be educated. That includes the Deaf community, deaf community, hard of hearing community and the hearing community.

And that, folks, is in a nutshell.

A video message on cyberbullying

Adult Cyberbullying

Believe or not the term cyberbullying is just not for kiddies but even among adults who behave exactly what kids would do online, plus some more. You can have an adult bully or a child bully. Being bully knows no age-limit. And if an adult can be a bully, so can one be an adult cyberbully as well.

Cyberbullying does not just apply to children. There are adult groups dedicated to harassing and defaming others as well, along with websites created online specifically to make fun of and demean individuals. These people can be found in communities linked to blogs and chat rooms and they use the disguise of “anonymity” to harass their prey. 

Definition: "Cyberbullying involves the use of information and communication technologies such as e-mail, cell phone and pager text messages, instant messaging (IM), defamatory personal Web sites, and defamatory online personal polling Web sites, to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile behaviour by an individual or group, that is intended to harm others." – Bill Belsey, Cyberbullying Expert  

Common Variations:  Cyber Bullying; Cyberbullying; Cyber-Bullying; Cyberstalking; and Cybermobbing.
 

There is a new non-profit organization against adult cyberbullyg called Civil Nation whose aim is to take

"....a stand against online hostility and adult cyberbullying. Its focus is on advancing the full capability of individuals to communicate and engage in cyberspace in a responsible and accountable way. A strong supporter of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, CiviliNation believes that free speech is enhanced through civil dialog and a rational exchange of information and ideas. By fostering an online culture in which individuals can fully engage and contribute without fear or threat of being the target of unwarranted abuse, harassment, or lies, the core ideals of democracy are upheld."

In the deaf culture world they, too, also have their share of adult cyberbullies who consistently and constantly go on the prowl to find deaf individuals (not public figures but private) and concoct justifications or excuses to make sustained and continued attacks on a regular or semi-regular basis in the effort to defame, make fun of, make hostile remarks, harass, demean, use online threats of exposing identities, call names and/or participate in online activities with one or more people in the effort to get individuals fired or in trouble at work over a matter of disagreements of opinions.  An example of that actually happened during the AB2072 protest (read the comments) . Sometimes you have certain people who like to lay low and get other cyberbullies to do their bidding by directing them or make suggestion about certain individuals because of their dislike or strong disagreement with their opinions or stances.

Cyberbullies come in all forms and shape, and age, too. "Cyberbullying" is not a word reserved only for kids but for adults, too, who behave just like what kids would do. And that is being a cyberbully.