While bullying is nothing new, cyber bullying is bullying online and is turning a major concern for parents, educators and kids prone to it.
The use of digital devices among kids makes them more vulnerable to experience and practice cyber bullying. Some of the important facts and statistics are mentioned below. Check them out!
Cyber Bullying Facts and stats that you must know:
– Online messages can be more confusing or scarier than in-person communication because there are no face-to-face cues to help you understand people’s intentions.
– Helping kids recognize bullying will help them learn to better deal with it.
– Nearly 43% of kids have been bullied online. 1 in 4 has had it happen more than once.
-Only 1 in 10 victim will inform a parent or trusted adult of their abuse.
-Of those who admitted they had been bullied, 87 % said it had happened on Facebook, 19 % on Twitter and 13 % on BlackBerry Messenger. And with the rise in Instagram usage kids have started using Instagram to practice it over it as well.
– 19-year-old boys emerge as the biggest victims of online bullying, majority of which takes place on Facebook. Twitter was the next most frequent face for bullying.
– 60% of teens said they had never reported the problem to the relevant social media website.
– Only 1% of teenagers say telling a teacher would be their first response to online bullying or trolling.
– Well over half of young people do not tell their parents when cyber bullying occurs. 13% of teens that use social media (12-17) say they have had an experience on a social network that made them feel nervous about going to school the next day.
– About half of teens have been the victims of cyber bullying.
– Only 1 in 10 teens tells a parent if they have been a cyber bully victim
– Less than 1 in 5 cyber bullying incidents are reported to law enforcement.
– 1 in 10 tweens or teens have had embarrassing or damaging pictures taken of themselves without their permission, often using cell phone cameras.
– Girls are more likely than boys to be involved in cyber bullying.
– Approximately half of young people have experienced some form of cyber bullying, and 10 to 20% experience it regularly.
– 88% of teens using social media using say they have seen someone be mean or cruel to another person on a social network site.
– Cyber bullying victims are more likely to have low self-esteem and to consider suicide.
– Reasons cyber bullies said they engaged in cyber bullying
To show off to friends (11%)
To be mean (14%)
Something else (16%)
To embarrass them (21%)
For fun or entertainment (28%)
They deserved it (58%)
To get back at someone (58%)
– “Hyper-networking” teens (those who spend more than 3 hours per school day on social networks) are 110% more likely to be a victim of cyberbullying, compared to those who don’t spend as much time on social networks
– 66% of teens who have witnessed online cruelty have also witnessed others joining; 21% say they have also joined in the harassment
– 90% of social media-using teens that have witnessed online cruelty say they have ignored mean behavior on social media; 35% have done this frequently
– 80% say they have defended the victim; 25% have done so frequently
– 79% have told the cyber bully to stop being mean and cruel; 20% have done so frequently.
– Social networking sites such as Facebook, Instagram and MySpace are growing fast, and so are the cyber bullying incidents originating from them.
Next Read: Guide to Cyberbullying Awareness and Prevention.
How Can You HELP!
It’s hard to protect the child if you don’t understand the issue properly. Parents and educators can prevent cyber bullying before it starts or becomes worse. The foremost important thing is to be aware and talk to children about it so that they don’t practice it or if they face such situation they inform some elder about it. Detect the early signs; keep a check of Internet activities of your kid. Try that he uses web in front of you. Keep your kid aware about cyber safety and dos and don’ts of using web. In case you find some ill practices being practices, it’s advisable to inform teacher/parents and law authorities. Take an action before it gets worse.
To Stop Cyber Bullying “Kindness” Must Go Viral. Share your views and insights on the issue.
