A recent report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) covering 44 countries in Europe has revealed a concerning increase in cyberbullying among children aged 11 to 15.
The study indicates that approximately 16% of adolescents in this age group experienced cyberbullying in 2022, marking a notable rise from 13% four years ago.
Hans Kluge, the Regional Director of WHO for Europe, described the findings as a “wake-up call” to address bullying and violence in all forms.
The research, conducted under the “Health Behaviour in School-aged Children” project, highlighted that 15% of boys and 16% of girls had encountered cyberbullying at least once in recent months.
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly influenced adolescents’ behavior towards each other, according to the UN agency.
The study noted that cyberbullying rates varied across different countries, with Bulgaria, Lithuania, Moldova, and Poland reporting the highest levels, while Spain reported the lowest.
Kluge emphasized the profound implications of even minor changes in bullying rates on the health and well-being of young people, particularly considering the extensive time spent online by adolescents.
Based on data collected from 279,000 children and adolescents across Europe, Central Asia, and Canada, the study found that cyberbullying typically peaked at age 11 for boys and 13 for girls.
Surprisingly, parents’ socioeconomic status had minimal impact on children’s behavior, although Canada showed disparities, with less advantaged youths more likely to experience bullying.
In Canada, the report highlighted a concerning trend where girls from lower-income households were disproportionately affected by bullying compared to their peers from higher-income families.
This discrepancy underscores the need for targeted interventions to address socioeconomic disparities in bullying experiences.
