A year ago, many people had never heard of cyberbullying. Today, parents all over the country want to know what to do to prevent it.

Surveys indicate that around half of all children are victims of cyberbullies at some point during their time in school, and 11 percent of children have been bullied in the last 30 days. The Internet provides a free, anonymous tool for bullies.

“Our kids’ online lives can sometimes be a mystery to parents,” said Mary Kay Hoal, COO of Yoursphere.com, a positive place for children online. “Whether it’s because they set up multiple profiles on social networking sites and hide them from their parents or because not every parent is technologically savvy enough to see what is going on, it’s important for every parent to know how to tell if their children are victims of cyberbullies and how to prevent it and stop it in its tracks.”

Hoal has studied cyberbullying and talked to parents around the country whose children have been bullied online; she uses measures to keep cyberbullies off her website. Her tips for parents include:

•Check for withdrawn behavior. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry suggests that children who are being bullied will act withdrawn and may be reluctant to go to school or use the computer.

Look for signs of depression and give children a hug. Kids often feel like something is wrong with them when they are being bullied. Parents should remind their children that bullies largely thrive on the reaction they get from their victims and it’s the bully that has the real problem.

•Teach children to “be kind online.” It’s an important first step toward educating children about the way they should treat others online.

Give children the tools to protect themselves. The message “Don’t respond. Tell your Mom. Make a copy,” gives children the information they need to make sure they can protect themselves and is an action plan for parents if there is abuse.

•Get the school or law enforcement involved. Parents may find teachers and guidance counselors will be proactive in halting or preventing the bullying of their students.

Many bullies are victims themselves, sometimes suffering from problems at home. When the school gets involved, it is more likely that the bully’s parents will become aware of the problem and help to resolve the situation positively for all the students affected. If a child is ever threatened with harm, contact the local police.