S8E22 Toxic

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.Our social media is alive and kicking. Check out Instagram @mysteriestodiefor (all spelled out) and on Facebook @m2d4podcast for the pulse on the shows happenings. And explore our website, M2D4Podcast.com for all our episodes and authors.The rules for law and order create the boundaries for civil co-existence and, ideally, the backdrops for individuals, families, and companies to grow and thrive. Breaking these rules puts civil order at risk. And while murder is the Big Daddy of crimes, codified ordinances across municipal divisions, counties, states, and countries show the nearly endless ways there are to create mayhem. This season, we put our detective skills to the test. This is Season 8, Anything but Murder. This is Episode 19, cyberbulling is the featured crime. This is Toxic by Robert J. BinneyABOUT CyberbullyingThe first known use of the term “cyberbully” was in 1998 according to Merriam Webster. The formal definition is “the electronic posting of mean spirited messages about a person (such as a student) often done anonymously.” Research and stories are often focused on children and teens, but also happens to adults, just as it did to Hope and Henri. From Very Well Mind comes this list of cyberbully types:• Flaming or roasting – using language including insults, to solicit an emotional response – common in politics• Outing – sharing personal / embarrassing information• Trolling – content including comments with the goal of creating division and chaos• Name calling – says it all• Spreading false rumors• Sending explicit images or messages – without the consent of the victim• Cyber stalking / harassing / physical threats – repeatedly target the same person / peopleCyberbullying causes real injury to victims. From mental health incidents to PTSD to suicidal thoughts, cyberbullies can completely disrupt victims lives. Sadly, there are too many examples of cyberbullying being linked to victim’s suicides including Megan Meier (13), Tyrone Unsworth (13) Amanda Todd (15), Choi Jin-Ri aka Sulli (15), Phoebe prince (16), Rehtaeh Parsons (17), Tyler Clementi (19), Hana Kimura (22), Kelly Fraser (26).The US Department of Health and Human Services maintains the website stopbullying.gov with resources and support for victims, kids, parents, and teachers. All states require schools to intercede when cyberbullying is reported. Check out stopbullying.gov to recognize signs of the abuse in children and teens. Support for adults can be found from the Cyberbullying research Center at cyberbullying.orgWhile more attention is given to children and teens, adults are just as vulnerable. The Cyberbullying Research Centers offers resources, references to laws, research, and advice including the importance of documenting everything, utilizing the terms of use for the social media – most prohibit harassment – to intervene, and, importantly (and probably most difficult) do not retaliate. While it might feel good, it could work against you as you pursue legal and other remedies. Legal coverage may come from other laws, such as menacing which was the subject of our Halloween episode, Audubon’s Ghost.https://www.stopbullying.gov/cyberbullying/what-is-ithttps://www.verywellmind.com/the-psychology-of-cyberbullying-5086615https://cyberbullying.org/advice-for-adult-victims-of-cyberbullyingABOUT Robert J. BinneySeattle screenwriter Robert J. Binney has chronicled Henri’s adventures previously on Mysteries to Die For. His essays on being the butt of Jimmy Carter’s jokes, joyriding with the Salt Lake City police, find-ing career advice in the Himalayas, and hanging with Peter Frampton have appeared in The Los Angeles Times, the Kelp Journal, and more. “Restoration Software” was recently featured in Level Best Books’ The Best Private Eye Stories of 2025. A former titan of industry with movie-star good looks, he holds an MBA from Emory University and an MFA from UC Riverside.Website: www.ThirdActMedia.comFacebook: RJBinneyInstagram: RJBinney