THUNDER BAY — A reported spike in cases of cyberbullying in Nishnawbe Aski Nation territory has prompted the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service to issue a public alert about the issue.
On Thursday, NAPS issued what it’s calling a public safety advisory “about ongoing and increasing incidents of cyberbullying.”
“In recent weeks, NAPS has observed an apparent spike in incidents related to cyberbullying in many of the 34 northern Ontario communities it serves,” stated a press release from the police service. “This is incredibly alarming, especially because of the known links between cyberbullying and youth suicide.”
First Nations—especially in the north—are acutely affected by youth suicide, the release stated, adding that those rates are an estimated six times higher for First Nations youth compared to non-Indigenous young people. For remote or far north communities, that estimated rate increases to 11 times higher, according to police.
“NAPS would like to encourage parents, teachers, and guardians to speak to their children about cyberbullying and its potentially tragic consequences,” the release stated, adding that if parents or guardians believe their child is being victimized, to report it to police.
“These incidents will be taken seriously and thoroughly investigated,” the release said.
