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A new report by the World Health Organization Europe paints a concerning picture of cyberbullying among children on the continent.
Entitled "Health Behaviour in School-aged Children," the study reveals a significant increase in online harassment, with the prevalence jumping from 13% to 16% between 2018 and 2022 for children aged 11 to 15.
The report further breaks down the statistics by gender, highlighting that 16% of girls and 15% of boys reported experiencing cyberbullying at least once in recent months.
The study attributes this increase partly to the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced children to spend more time online and created a more "virtual" social environment.
"Virtual forms of peer violence have become particularly relevant since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, when young people's worlds became increasingly virtual during times of lockdown," the report states.
Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, emphasized the urgency of addressing this issue. "This report is a wake-up call for all of us to address bullying and violence, whenever and wherever it happens," Kluge stated, according to AFP.
The findings highlight the need for comprehensive strategies to combat cyberbullying, ensuring the safety and well-being of young people online.
