After a performance at the Pendle Brew, members of the Lancaster University Singing Society were cyberbullied, highlighting the prevalence of bullying at Lancaster University.
25% of Undergraduates and Postgraduates at University were victims of cyberbullying, according to a study done by the University of West London.
Lancaster University students aren’t strangers to bullying and its effects. On SCAN’s Instagram story, 31% of people reported that they had been cyberbullied before.
This statistic can be seen to be prevalent within performance societies, as can be seen on the 23rd of February when Pendle organised an event to raise money for charities.
The singing society had an hour and a half slot to perform their set, which they had been rehearsing for weeks in advance. After the performance on the 23rd, the Singing Society was tagged in a review that was “so unjustly mean.”
The review account, which normally rates restaurants on campus, “cursed out [the society’s] musicians […] They weren’t even trying to be journalistic about.”
Within the study conducted by the University of West London, it is concluded that the effects of bullying include insecurity, anxiety, loneliness, depression, low self-esteem, and, in serious cases, suicide.
Certainly, members of the Singing Society were left deeply affected by the occurrences on the 23rd. “Some of our newer members were devastated”, the ex-exec member confessed.
“They’d worked up all this confidence to perform which is always a massive deal and then someone didn’t appreciate the work and effort that’s gone in and wrote mean things. I know if I’d have seen that review this time last year I’d have gained some serious anxiety around performing.”
Lancaster University’s Singing Society isn’t the only performing arts society on campus to be slandered by this account. According to the singing society ex-exec member, the comedy society faced harassment from the same “review” account.
“Thankfully, they didn’t name any of our performance members or say anything negative about anyone that was identifiable [at the singing society but the comedy society wasn’t so lucky a couple of weeks previous though.”
“They’d taken pictures of the four performers and each was dissected and ripped to shreds. It was so personal and rude.”
This mistreatment has only highlighted how common cyberbullying and bullying are within performance societies.
In an account by a member of the singing society, who is also a member of the acapella society Roselution.lu, there were also instances of bullying in which a member of the acapella society was followed around by a group of students.
“We had a few instances last year with people being really mean and making fun of people in the society which obviously lead to them being removed from rehearsals.”
“We had one of our members this year being stalked by a group of international students who thought it funny to video and follow them around campus. That peaked at the group of students videoing them through their kitchen window.”
Lancaster’s University has a zero-tolerance policy means that any instance of bullying, harassment, or sexual misconduct will be investigated and where necessary disciplinary sanctions imposed so that staff, students, and visitors can enjoy an environment where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.
Despite this, the Singing Society was left disappointed by the support they received after the cyberbullying incident, the ex-exec member states.
“We’d gone to the SU to get advice about how to handle as a society and to try and get support from them to put out some messaging around cyber bullying and concert etiquette but they refused to do more than share our post.”
“It was insinuated that if they could prove who had the account then the repercussions would’ve been taken as far as possible as the actions of the account were against the university policy and journalism guidance.”
In response, the owner of the Instagram account has stated “Considering the backlash mentioned in this article, I decided to focus on reviewing food and drink businesses from then on. I took the reviews down on request”.
Despite this, the Singing Society was left disappointed by the support they received after the cyberbullying incident, the ex-exec member states.
“We’d gone to the SU to get advice about how to handle as a society and to try and get support from them to put out some messaging around cyber bullying and concert etiquette but they refused to do more than share our post.”
“It was insinuated that if they could prove who had the account then the repercussions would’ve been taken as far as possible as the actions of the account were against the university policy and journalism guidance.”
In response, the owner of the Instagram account has stated “Considering the backlash mentioned in this article, I decided to focus on reviewing food and drink businesses from then on. I took the reviews down on request”.
If you have experienced bullying, cyberbullying, or any other kind of harassment during your university experience, you can report it here.
