Publication) CYBERBULLYING: EFFECT ON WORK PLACE PRODUCTION

Africa International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (AIJMR)
Vol. 2 (1) 24-39

ISSN: 2523-9430
Available Online at http://www.oircjournals.org
Africa International
Journal of
MULTIDISCPLINARY
RESEARCH
© OIRC Journals, 2018 ISSN: 2523-9430 (Online Publication)
www.oircjournals.org ISSN: 2523-9422 (Print Publication)
CYBERBULLYING: EFFECT ON WORK PLACE PRODUCTION
MR. JAMES NAMBUSI MAKHULO
STUDENT PHD in Information Systems / ADJUNCT LECTURER

BOX 79500 -00200 Nairobi
ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT
Article History: Cyber bullying affects many adolescents and

Received 7th October, 2017 teens on a daily basis; it is a form of violence
Received in Revised Form 8th February, 2018 that can do lasting harm to people at different
Accepted 14th February, 2018 ages and social status in a society. Cyber
Published online 14th February, 2018 bullying is real experience that has been in
Keywords: Cyber bullying, productivity, existence for a quite a long time; Bullying
effectiveness, performance statistics show that cyber bullying is a serious
problem among teens and gaining roots among
adults. By being more aware of cyber bullying, teens and adults can help to fight it. Cyber
bullying involves using technology, like cell phones and the Internet, to bully or harass another
person. The introduction of social media and other communication systems has seen several
people being bullied online by those who are already proficient on the platforms. The reasons
behind cyber bullying might or might not be mala-fide but its existence isn’t in the best interest.
It has been looked at mainly from the teens’ effect both in physical and psychological perception
not realizing that adults are also equally affected. The impact on adults comes in different forms
and has serious impact on the families and work places. The impact at work places affects
productivity due to psychological trauma, legal involvement, shame/embarrassment whenever it
goes public. Some people have gone to point of resigning from jobs, others have buried themselves
into work for fear of victimization, others have committed suicide - At whatever level of status in
society there is a great repercussion that is if situation is not put under control the victim can
easily go down to a total down trend. Cyber bullying has fatal consequences and existing laws
about it are woefully lacking despite some legal measures having been put in place but it gets
tricky especially if the cyber bully is anonymous. There are cybercrime cells that help in
preventing cyber bullying or minimize the happenings to set up a good working environment that
may increase individual productivity and increase organisations profits.
AIJMR VOL. 2 ISSUE 1

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potential. Troubled employees often call
in sick or aren't mentally present when
they attend to work. Understand the top
factors of employee unhappiness and
INTRODUCTION offer appropriate assistance if needed
Human resources (employees) vary in (Hassell, 2015).
their personalities and these differences As stated above bullying and its
persuade the way they act in response enhanced technological act
to the internal and external pressures cyberbullying is one of the main
that subsist in many business entities. contributing factors to poor or low level
Most of them spend more than 50% of performance in an organisation – work
their working hours at the workplace place. Bullying is an all-encompassing
and its environment greatly influences issue among children, adolescents and
their performance and mental adults and it can take many forms,
framework. It has been observed that including verbal -like name calling,
this mental framework has a direct physical -like hitting, sexual -like
impact on their individual performance harassment or stalking, and relational –
which ultimately affects the like social isolation. Despite the
organization as a whole (Nag, 2016). extensive literature on bullying, the
definition of bullying is relatively
In consequence it is important for an ambiguous and is often mistakenly
organization to identify the factors that defined as aggressive behaviour,
have a crippling outcome on the neglecting various aspects and forms of
performance of an employee at the bullying (Cuadrado-Gordillo, 2012).
workplace and make suitable Three factors that distinguish bullying
corrections. According to Nag (2016) from aggressive behaviour: repetition of
some of the influencing factors among unwanted behaviour, an imbalance of
others may include; Personality or Ego power, and the intent to cause a person
Clashes, Stress, Heavy Workloads, physical, social, emotional, or
Inadequate Resources, Lack of Clarity psychological harm (Craig & Pepler,
about Accountability, Gossip, Poor 2007; Cuadrado-Gordillo, 2012; Erling &
Selection or Pairing of Team Members, Hwang 2004; Grigg, 2010; Olweus, 1993;
Outdated Technology, Bullying or Tokunaga, 2010).
Harassment and perceived Bullying and harassment may be
discrimination. considered to be one and the same – it’s
all violence since when you are
High employee productivity is the harassing someone, you are doing
heartbeat of a successful business. When threatening or intimidating, and I
employees are distracted and unhappy, believe bullying is exactly the same
their work suffers, and ultimately so thing. Making reference to the legal
does the company not mentioning the definition of harassment as being tied to
place of rest and reflection - home. prohibited grounds of the human rights
When employees experience problems, code i.e. harassment typically refers to
they don't perform to their highest
AIJMR VOL. 2 ISSUE 1 25

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protected grounds of human rights, as online bullying, online harassment, and
whereas bullying doesn’t usually cyber harassment, occurs when an
discriminate based on any protected individual is causing harm toward
grounds of human rights which is more someone else through the use of an
used on adults rather than young electronic medium (Wade & Beran,
people. 2011). This type of behaviour often
For a long time bullying was associated occurs in a hostile, intentional, and
with boys who are often seen as repetitive manner (Dehue, 2013).
portraying more aggressive behaviour Repetition does not necessarily involve
right through child growth. On the only the primary perpetrator, as others
other hand females, were seen as being may repeat the act of the primary
involved in more subtle and indirect perpetrator, to further target the victim
forms of aggression, such as verbal and (Slonje, Smith, & Frisén, 2013).
emotional bullying (Salmivalli & Cyberbullying can be inform of;
Kaukiainen, 2004; Smith & Sharp, 1994). Flaming; Online fights using electronic
Of late the act is still going on in messages with angry or vulgar
different forms and being enhanced by language, Harassment; repeatedly
online operations. This makes it have a sending nasty, mean, an insulting
global effect by people of different races messages. Denigration -"Dissing"
and class – economic status. It has been someone online. Sending or posting
outlawed in many countries like Kenya gossip or rumors about a person to
but still some school students have gone damage his or her reputation or
beyond administrative restrictions and friendships. Impersonation - Pretending
laws to attack their collegues. Although to be someone else and sending or
the percentage of bullying in schools posting material to get that person in
decreases as students get older (Eslea & trouble or damage their reputation.
Rees, 2001; Whitney & Smith, 1993), the Outing - Sharing someone's secrets or
forms of bullying may become more embarrassing information or images
complex and subtle with increasing age. online. Trickery - Tricking someone into
Developments in technology, revealing secrets or embarrassing
individuals who are using instant information and then sharing it online.
messaging, e-mail, websites (e.g., Exclusion - Intentionally and cruelly
Twitter, Facebook), text messages, excluding someone. Cyberstalking -
personal digital assistants, or other Repeated, intense harassment and
electronic media, are provided with denigration that includes threats or
different ways of communicating with creates significant fear (Willard, 2006).
one another, and also a new way of In contrast to traditional bullying,
coming up with associations. The cyberbullying can be particularly
technology is being used for problematic as it can be done fairly
entertainment but can also be quite quickly, “anonymously, or through
destructive. With an increase in new impersonation” (MacKay, 2012, p.39).
technology, adults are provided with There are two particular ways in which
new methods of targeting peers, a form perpetrators cyberbully: either directly
known as cyberbullying also referred to or by proxy (e.g., involving others in the

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cyberbullying act). The latter approach Cyberbullying is not restricted to the
is often considered as being more workplace only as employees can use
severe, as it involves more individuals social media platforms and other
in the violence. This is facilitated by communications to engage in annoying
easy access to communication behaviour well beyond the confines of
technology among different people in the physical workspace and
different parts of the world with no or conventional working hours. That
minimal control on the usage. indicates that a bully has wide spread
time and multiple avenues to carry out
Differences between Cyberbullying their act and even hide their identity
and Traditional Bullying which makes the situation even worse
There is a general feeling that face-to- for the victim – legal and social help
face bullying has greater indications of may not be forthcoming.
threat than cyberbullying, mostly due to Cyberbullying makes us of the global
the presence of immediate physical network and at times the contents are
threat. The presence of physical threat made viral spreading all over to the
increases the intimidation factor where detriment of the victim. According to
the person isn’t getting away. Despite Kowalski & Limber (2007), electronic
this Cyberbullying is still just as bad but bullying has specific features that
it removes the immediate threat of differentiate it from traditional forms of
physical harm. It is more technological bullying, such as its anonymous nature
and an enhanced or rather a process of and the ability to use various screen
transformation of traditional bullying. names, which may attract people to
It is vital to discover and investigate the engage in this type of bullying, over
underlying factors that play a role in other forms of bullying. The lack of
cyber bullying in order to create supervision in adolescent’s Internet
successful intervention programs. Slonje access is also another risk factor and
et al., (2013) follow a line of difference between cyberbullying and
investigation to find answers that traditional bullying (Dehue, 2013). Lack
explain the factors that differentiate of control to the technological use makes
cyberbullying from traditional bullying; the activity to be lucrative to bullies and
which include among others: the reverse to the victims. Although
technological proficiency, the indirect cyberbullying is less prevalent than
nature of cyberbullying, increased traditional bullying (Low & Espelage,
number of bystanders, it is ability to 2013; Ybarra, Boyd, Korchmaros, &
spiral to wider audiences, and it may be Oppenheim, 2012), studies have found
more difficult to escape from the cyberbullying victimization and
violence, since certain acts (e.g., posting perpetration rates to range from 10 to 50
of a photo) can remain online percent (William & Guerra, 2007;
indefinitely (Smith, 2012) and social Ybarra, Espelage, & Mitchell, 2007).
media like Facebook will bring them
back as memories after a period of time While hosting the first White House
repetitively. Conference on Bullying Prevention
President Barack Obama (2011) stated,

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"As adults, we all remember what it was breaking into someone's email or instant
like to see kids picked on in the message account to send cruel or untrue
hallways or in the school yard. And I messages while posing as that person,
have to say, with big ears and the name creating websites to make fun of another
that I have, I wasn't immune...we person such as a classmate or teacher,
overlook the real damage that bullying using websites to rate peers as prettiest,
can do" (White House, 2011). ugliest, among others.
The purpose of the conference was to It is important for the media, internet,
educate students, teachers, coaches and literature, hospitals, churches, and the
parents on how to identify and explain board of education continue to educate
the effects of cyerbullying. Furthermore, the public about cyber bullying and
bullying is problematic for Americans offensive discourse in cyberspace.
and the practice of cyberbullying can According to Irving Janis' (1972)
only become obsolete with the help and groupthink concept, cyberspace
involvement of all individuals interaction is not a social activity done
functioning in today's society. (White alone but more so dictated by group
House, 2011). socialization. This simply means that it
The expansion of societal knowledge is the behavior for people to roam the
grows considerably as bullying internet but not alone. Rather, their
behaviors grow globally. As a result, internet usage is gauged by group
this social phenomenon is no longer a settings, found through social
secret or a whisper among college, networking sites like Facebok, Myspace
universities, outreach programs, the and Twitter. These groups' settings then
health system, state and governmental permit them to engage in activities that
institutions, churches and other social may reflect cyberbullying and
institutions. unpleasant communication – which may
According to an article from the Center lead life altering negativities such as
of Disease Control US (2010) it is poor academic performance, reckless
suggested that bullies are identified as sexual behavior, un-wanted
middle school, high school and college pregnancies, low self-esteem, rapes, and
students with social anxiety, depression, suicide –referred to as cyberbullicide-
social isolation, nervousness, low self- suicide indirectly or directly influenced
esteem, deficits in school performance by experiences of online aggression"
and impaired health (Center Of Disease (Hinduja & Patchin, 2010, p. 1).
Control, 2010). It further elaborates and Social media in Kenya has become an
identifies cyberbullying behaviors by essential part of almost everyone’s lives;
the following examples: Sending it affects how people conduct
someone mean or threatening emails, themselves online and even the
instant messages, or text messages, language used in daily activities.
excluding someone from an instant Conversely with the notch high posts on
messenger buddy list or blocking their leading online platforms
email for no reason, tricking someone like Facebook, most companies are
into revealing personal or embarrassing opting for an easier way of increasing
information and sending it to others, reach for specific page updates by

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leveraging on trending online topics. career or overall wellness and the list
This has prompted the rise to cyber- goes on.
bullying; facilitating publishing With accessibility to online
materials about victims severely communication systems like mobile
defaming and humiliating them. It isn’t phones employees can use social media
something that anyone or large platforms to engage in inappropriate
corporate would want to be associated behaviour well beyond the confines of
with but ironically in Kenya, many the physically defined workspace. It is
companies and personalities actively very rare to hear of an employee who
take part in ill by quickly aligning their has not encountered cyberbullying
digital content to a widely known unless in the nature of nonprofit
unrelated trending topic. organisations and with very limited
reliance on technology within the
Cyber bullying in the Workplace; organisation. Most of the time
effects and reactions
employers tend to shrug off the case of
Most people spend a lot of time at their
cyberbullying as they do not
workplaces and therefore this
understand how such a social problem
environment need to be conducive to
can affect the well-being of their
enhance productivity but this may not
employees, thus, their ability to
be the case all through due to
produce and give the output they
cyberbullying- a form of mental
should be giving. The direct effect that
harassment that arises regardless of the
cyber-bullying has on the target can
gender, race, profession etc. Generally
cause the workplace to be
Cyberbullying in the Workplace takes
unproductive and very stressful. (West,
form of offensive emails or text
Foster, Levin, Edmison, Robibero, 2014).
messages containing jokes or
Cyber Bullying in the Workplace needs
inappropriate wording towards a
to be addressed through promoting a
certain race or sexual preference which
work environment that refuses to
have a direct effect on the target of the
nurture a bully.
bullying act, threatening email being
sent to the target anonymously or not, The workplace needs to issue a firm
a feedback that is copied and pasted for policy against bullying generally and
the whole office to see while its initial cyber-bullying specifically. The bully
intention was meant to be secret, needs to be encouraged to seek
changing someone’s screensaver or professional help as well. From the
desktop to offend or manipulate them, target’s side, it is better not to share
sharing embarrassing situations personal information with co-workers;
relating to the target with everyone many people have resorted to not
online, being offensive and mean to the having co-workers interact with them
target on various social media websites on social media websites.
and networks, spreading rumours or Since Cyber Bullying in the
gossip online which could have a Workplace is relatively new on the list
serious effect of a fellow co-workers issue one faces in a workplace,
employers have not yet figured a way

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of drafting it in their office policy comments about their boss on their
(Bettina et al., 2014). When it is personal Facebook pages, calling them
mentioned, it is usually under the out, and that can be interpreted in a
clause of bullying altogether, which is a really negative way, and it starts
good step towards tackling the issue offending as people keep commenting
but should not be the final one. Of on it. This may be common among
course, you cannot fully control what junior staff and especially if they feel
people say online about you but you harassed by their seniors. The juniors
can grant people you do not trust feel they have very little to lose and
limited access to your information. their immaturity makes them feel like
Most company managers do not they are just having fun with no
understand much about ICT and the repercussions, especially in places like
effect of cyberbullying and therefore call centre or support desks. But the
drafting anti cyberbullying policies game or joke may be extended too much
becomes a big challenge. ending up in the hands of the victim
The workplace environment plays a who may react to it with authority
crucial part in determining what is leading to people losing jobs in a
acceptable and what is unacceptable to revenge mission.
say or do to another staff member. An A joke online might be pushed too far –
office that promotes a positive for example, an online communication
atmosphere towards acts of harassment that begins as innocent office chitchat,
or bullying will most likely be open to such as a joke circulated via e-mail. This
negative comments and remarks being can be devastating to an employee if
made about a fellow employee online s/he learns what has been written on
(Foster et al 2014). social media about them, which may not
have been intended to humiliate them in
There are different ways that any way. A number of times it is about
cyberbullying is projected at the work misunderstanding of the impact versus
place. Borrowing partial leave from intention (West et al, 2014).
West et al (2014); the disgruntled Nevertheless, when the message
employee. The most common example escalates to the point where one or more
of cyberbullying behaviour, involves individuals distinguish it as
employees’ posting inappropriate inappropriate or unwanted, then it
comments online about their co- moves from the realm of online chat to
workers, their managers or about the cyberbullying.
organization in general. Sometimes The broken office romance: There are
people will send snapshots of their cases of workplace romances that end
employee’s postings on Facebook or poorly and ultimately lead to
making inappropriate comments about cyberbullying. One of the partners uses
a colleague on Facebook, whatsapp either company time or company online
groups, telegram or even twitter among communication resources to engage in
others ridiculing them and/or bullying behaviour toward his or her ex.
threatening them. In the manager- Ex-boyfriends or girlfriends or basically
subordinate context, people have posted ex-spouses get into stalking. Manager

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who is involved in romantic Is Ess because of her
relationship with a junior with a blog http://www.thisisess.com/, had
promise possibly of a promotion or any gotten engaged. Her proposal got a lot
other favours and then it fails to of coverage from mainstream media too.
materialize may lead to online Yuri Baraza, a renowned social media
blackmail. The junior may use this influencer tweeted Ice cream parlor
opportunity to press for her “right” as chain, Cold Stone Creamery the
per the initial agreement. Some may following; “@ColdStoneKenya Do you
start sharing intimate pictures online as have any comfort food? I have a friend
away to embarrass the manager. who needs any consolation food at this
Sometimes you may not even be in full trying period.#PoleKwaMwirigi” and
blown relationship but just a crash but they responded
the one in with a crash may use this “@ArcherMishale @Mwirigi. We feel
opportunity to harass the other. In your pain. Perhaps this will help soothe
some case it may not even be the parties your
are at logger heads. One may open up pain #PoleKwaMwirigipic.twitter.com
his or her heart to a friend in person or /i1Jik4Qd50” and followed with a
online i.e. at times this may not only be picture of a creamy ice cream words
with your colleagues in the office but at “chocolate is the health food FOR THE
times it may extend to the public SOUL”
domain to which it wasn’t intended. Corporate entities were not left out
Consider the case of the either in this “romance went sour” saga.
#PolekwaMwirigi (Kenyans on Twitter, Mobile network operator Airtel offered
2015); tweets, retweets and Facebook Mwirigi a phone line tweeting
jokes and funny memes on Instagram “@Mwirigi Communication is key in
and video’s on Snapchat got into the relationships. Can we offer you a
veins of the world through Kenyans on line? #PoleKwaMwirigi“ the message
Twitter (KOT) within a few minutes, pasted on an image of a smiling lady
influencers and corporates joined the and one of Kenya’s leading broadcaster
bandwagon as well. With companies Nation television (NTV) also took part
such as Durex, through their Kenyan in the conversation, tweeting “We are
twitter handle @DurexKE leading the never going to get engaged, tune in to
conversation “No. we’re not going to #AuntieBoss! No one can turn on your
exploit @Mwirigi’s pain for selfish use. world like we do” #PoleKwaMwirigi”.
That said we have a lube or two to Fast food restaurant Kentucky Fried
smooth things out. #PoleKwaMwirigi” Chicken (KFC) tweeted “@Mwirigi you
The hash tag trended for four days may have missed the chic but we’ve got
consecutively generating 40 million more breasts and thighs. #Pole Kwa
impressions. The hash Mwirigi. The posed question is; Is this
tag #PoleKwaMwirigi started after one, not a form of bullying? Cyber-bullying
Robert Kunga, popularly known as is not different from any other type of
Mwirigi on Twitter received bullying; it makes the victim have a low
heartbreaking news that his crush self-esteem, and in extreme causes it can
Sharon Mundia, widely known as This also lead to suicide – as outlined in a

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case ahead. I believe this must have other. One thing that you may notice is
mortified Mwirigi and his situation that people are overworked, so you do
didn’t get better after the lady went notice a lot of cyber-harassment cases
ahead to got married leave alone the between managers and employees,
engagement. One wonders why the because a lot of stress is
Kenyan government didn’t take into involved…especially in a professional
account those corporate and individual services firm. People will feel so
those were caught up in mortifying fortunate to have a job they do put up
Mwirigi? This must have caused a with a lot. (West et al., 2014).
detrimental effect to the gentleman and The impact on adults can be disastrous
where he was working there must have from home to office. Rising domestic
been a lot of redicule affecting his work temperatures that may be carried to
and even social life. The shame that office and vice versa. Impact on
followed him everywhere because of the production can be caused by falsified
publicity of his “failed” love. messages, images, sexual harassment by
The dysfunctional team; sometimes colleagues and unknown people. Sexual
when working in large and sometimes harassment may cause a big
diverse teams there is an expectation of embarrassment that may make a victim
one or more employees fall out of ‘coil’ and lose concentration on their
favour with their work team, which work area. Some may hide (even in
then leads to team members’ using comfort rooms), if they have to work
social media to post negative statements online and cyberbully keeps sending
about the banished member(s). This messages through whatsapp, email,
team members are normally hired and messenger among other this causes
train together, they have same hours destruction. Some victims seek
and workspaces, and this continues for sympathy from friends online and may
a financial period possibly until they keep checking online messages to see
move to different teams and shifts. who are taking their side. Some try to
These teams do either get along or they fight back by spending time trying to
don’t, and one may come across a justify their act (CASE….a lady who
situation where an employee complains committed suicide in kilimani) when no
of harassment and this is because of sympathizers and when overwhelmed
falling out of favour with the group, and they get deep into depression which
all the individuals had taken to may lead to suicide. Some of the
commenting on social media tools. This cyberbullies are not immediate
interferes with ones concentration in the colleagues but people you work for,
place of work lowering their entertain or providing the service to.
productivity. Consider the following cases of
The power-tripper; In this perspective, celebrities who were cyberbullied:
cyberbullying occurs as a result of a Few years back in may 2013 Lynda
noxious manager-subordinate or Nyangweso fell under cruel attack after
colleagues in a relationship, where one her photograph was displayed on
individual attempts to establish undue twitter. A section on online attackers
or inappropriate authority over the behind screen seized the opportunity to

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mock the talented radio presenter over Sponsor” (Sponsor being a name
her weight. One cruel tweet read “That corrupted by Kenyans to mean a man or
MoMokward MoMoment when Linda a woman especially elderly ones who
Nyangweso books a table for 2 ok, finance the lifestyles of younger men or
Linda Nyangweso makes Kalekye look women for sexual favours.) People felt
like a model, ukipiga Linda Nyangweso his choice of the title of the song was
picha, instead ya format ya JPEG, disrespectful to God. This bashing
Inajisvae format ya JPIG, Linda made him shade tears on a national TV
Nyangweso discussion is such a – NTV when narrated about his critics
weighty issue…” and how they forgot the good he hard
Her comment was simple “OMG woke done in the past make him look like
up this morning to realize people have trash. In 2016 former Citizen TV anchor
discovered my secret: I’M FAT”. In Julie Gichuru was attacked by some
October 2014, kiss FM Presenter Adelle Kenyans on social media who believed
Onyango was a victim of sadistic being a role model and a respectable
cyberbullying after a social media user public figure shouldn’t have been
compared her to a monkey. The person involved in betting and especially
posted a photoshopped meme with an paying very low bonuses by his
insulting juxtaposition of a monkey next company Mcheza to gamers. She was
to her. Another posted “You are pretty, accused of even being a partaker of her
very pretty, just fix your teeth. I am father-in-laws corrupt deals – Samuel
sure you can more than afford it…..” Gichuru Whom human rights activist
Adelle Responded by tweeting. “ I don’t Bonface Mwangi stated “Ever heard
describe to your definition of beauty or Julie Gichuru condemning corruption?
perfection. How sad must your life be She lives in a glass house. Her father is
to go around pointing out at what wanted in Jersye, her husband is suing
people have to change about Robert Alai (a blogger). Samuel gichuru
themselves? I pray that you get over won’t be buried with what he stole from
whatever insecurities your life is Kenya. He destroyed lives and
drenched in and seek life not perfection. economy. Gichuru (Julie etc.) will
I like my teeth just fine.” inherit stolen loot.” When hashtag
In October 2015 while at Citizen TV #StandwithJuliegichuru came up she
Janet Mbugua was attacked on social stated. “Nimezoea hawa watu wa chuki,
media during her pregnancy by uongo na domo (I am used to haters,
personalities who did not think she was liars with empty talks). When they try to
supposed to be on air with her baby knock you, He lifts you up. The more
bump. She simply responded to bullies they hate, the more love you receive”
by saying: People like you are a shame
to society. I’m proud of my pregnancy From the above case we can see the
as are other women. Your ignorance is effects of cyberbullying in our
wanting.” professional duties by people we know
One popular gospel artist Jimmy Gait and those we don’t know. It pains,
was under attack in June 2016 after his humiliates and destroys. Some work
release of a song titled “Yesu ndiye like the devil who came to steal, kill and

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destroy as written in the Bible (John of cyberbullying-likely by her co-
10:10) workers-for years. An investigation into
Some people may be strong enough to the anonymous online postings, in
defending themselves or fight back but which the Fairfax County, Va.,
some will just weep while others will firefighter was called disparaging
even take their lives. Cases in reference: names is currently underway.
Consider the case of Belinda Akinyi Nicole Mittendorff's supervisors said
who committed suicide by throwing they were unaware if her co-workers
herself into oncoming traffic near kabete were bullying her on an online
Police station on waiyaki way after community forum. Her supervisors
having taken her daughter and have not said whether she was bullied
househelp on an “outing”. She was in person at work.
bullied on facebook by a popular The unfortunate thing is that we tend to
facebook group; Buyer beware – Kenya trash people we don’t particularly like is
(ORIGINAL) with about 87,000 not new and especially with the
members, after posting about the introduction of telecommunication
defilement of her three-year-old system making it easier to inflict
daughter. Unfortunately the police widespread damage through the spread
officer who was assigned the case of rumors, outright lies or
demanded for sex favour before helping compromising photos. It is hard to
her and out of desperation she gave in. imagine that working adults operate
But after sleeping with her, the officer this way, but with the growing use of
disappeared, aggravating her stress. technology. (SHRM, 2016). The
“Brenda has been going through a lot Workplace Bullying Institute’s 2014 U.S.
and she was always online and Workplace Bullying Survey found that
depression was eating into her for lack 6.5 million workers said they were
of help,” said Ms Nyakerario (one of her affected by bullying in the workplace.
close friends). “They bashed and Sixty-one percent of respondents said
ridiculed her and she felt the world was their employer failed to react to abusive
against her.” Some of her friends who conduct. As a result, the bullying
are members of the group said that in stopped once those targeted either quit,
the week leading to her death, some were forced out or were fired. Twenty-
members of the group had stepped up nine percent reported that they
attacks against Ms Akinyi, with their contemplated suicide. Bullying can lead
line of argument being that she was to more than the loss of a job. People
faking the defilement story. experience neurological changes when
they’re bullied at work, said Robyn
Aliah D. Wright (2016) Last month’s Bartlett, a crisis transition coach and
(April 2016) discovery of the body of a founder and CEO of Life Transition
31-year-old firefighter in Virginia’s Experts in an interview with (SHRM,
Shenandoah National Park after a near 2016). This clearly confirms that
week-long search led to the bullying hurts a business in a great way.
determination that she had committed “While I have not yet seen any stand-
suicide and that she had been the victim alone statistics about the costs of adult

Vol. 2 (1) 24-39
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cyberbullying, bullying in the aggregate this from recurring but forced by
results in lost productivity, increased circumstance the solution will
absences, higher turnover and increased termination.
medical costs due to the increased stress
at work,” said Teresa Daniel, dean of the Protection and laws
Human Resource Leadership Program There are laws that only address online
at Sullivan University in Louisville, Ky.. harassment of children or focus on child
“It is a form of psychological violence predators as well as laws that protect
that can and does seriously damage the adult cyberstalking victims, or victims
health and well-being of affected of any age. Currently, there are 45
employees. It can also poison an cyberstalking (and related) laws on the
organization by undermining employee books. The Global Cyber Law Database
morale and by eroding any sense of (GCLD) aims to become the most
loyalty, trust or teamwork.” comprehensive and authoritative source
of cyber laws for all countries.
There is no one approach to ending or Cyberbullying has criminal
preventing cyberbullying. The most consequences just as physical bullying.
promising strategies generally fall into A target's understanding of why
four major categories: Changes to the cyberbullying is happening is helpful to
organization and its culture, strategies remedy and take protective action to
to help strengthen individual managers restore remedy. Among factors that
and leaders, support services for the motivate stalkers are: envy, pathological
targets of bullying and accountability obsession (professional or sexual),
measures to coach, counsel and unemployment or failure with own job
discipline bullies. or life; intention to intimidate and cause
Human Resource happens to be the first others to feel inferior; the bully
point of contact for a complaint of is delusional and believes he/she
bullying, employees need clear policies "knows" the target; the Cyberbully
about what is tolerable and intolerable wants to instill fear in a person to justify
behavior. In a case of cyberbullying his/her status; belief they can get away
issue in the workplace it is important to with it and no traces can be found at all.
investigate and resolve the problem; In Kenya Cyber- bullying can earn you
present the person who is the object of 10 years in prison; a man simulating
the bullying help with coping and stress hacking into a computer. Harassing and
management strategies; support via the stalking someone on Facebook or
company’s employee assistance Twitter can now earn you a 10-year
program; and access to counseling, prison sentence or a Sh20 million fine or
coaching and employee benefits. both. This follows Cabinet’s approval of
(SHRM, 2016). For the bully it’s the Computer and Cybercrimes Bill
important for HR and the employee’s 2016, that spells out stiff penalties for
manager to intervene early. It is digital crimes including illegal breach of
important to make them realise that systems and networks, cyber-bullying
they need help for their own healing and stalking among others. “A person
under clearly defined policies to avoid who, individually or with other persons,

Vol. 2 (1) 24-39
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willfully and repeatedly communicates, downloading through a
either directly or indirectly, with 'telecommunications network or
another person or anyone known to that through any other means of transferring
person, commits an offence, if they data to a computer, the intimate image
know or ought to know that their of another person commits an offence
conduct is likely to cause those persons and is liable, on conviction to a term of
apprehension or fear of violence to them imprisonment not exceeding thirty
or damage or loss on that persons’ years or fine not exceeding three
property detrimentally affects that hundred thousand shillings or both.
person,” reads Section 14 of the Bill in In conclusion it confirms the great
part. impact of cyberbullying to the adults,
Cyber security and protection act (2016) employees and the general public for
Section 27 states. A person who the government to come up with laws to
intentionally transmits or causes the save the situation. Organisations are
transmission of any communication now getting more concerned about the
through a computer system or network effect of the same on production and
to bully, threaten or harass another general staff performance and
person, where such communication psychological effect. HR departments
places another person in fear of death, must keep close monitoring of the staff
violence of bodily harm, commits an use of online resources and identify any
offence and is liable on conviction to a negative effects that may arise.
term of imprisonment not exceeding Cyberbullying should be minimized if
five years or a fine not exceeding two not eliminated to create a conducive
hundred thousand shillings or both. 28. environment keeping all employees
A person who transfers, publishes, or sober and relaxed and productive.
disseminates, including making a digital Appreciate the trauma caused by
depiction available for distribution or cyberbullying and be one to stop it.

Vol. 2 (1) 24-39
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Africa International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (AIJMR)

Vol. 2 (1) 24-39

STUDENT PHD in Information Systems / ADJUNCT LECTURER

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT

Article History: Cyber bullying affects many adolescents and

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