'Concerning increase' in online bullying as one in six children are victims, new report finds
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One in six children in school have experienced online bullying, according to a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO).
The latest data shows a “concerning increase” in online bullying, with 14% of boys and 9% of girls cyberbullying others. This was up from 12% for boys and 7% for girls in 2018.
Similarly, the number of boys who reported being victims of cyberbullying rose from 12% to 15%, while it jumped from 13% to 16% for girls.
The Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HSBC) report from the WHO European region says the increase in online bullying has been magnified by the “increasing digitalisation of young people’s interactions".
It says there is an urgent need for interventions involving educators, parents, community leaders and policymakers to “foster digital literacy and safety".
The report focuses on patterns of bullying and peer violence among adolescents aged 11,13 and 15 and draws on data from more than 279,000 young people across 44 countries and regions.
Some of the key findings show an average of 6% of adolescents engage in bullying others at school. This behaviour was more visible among boys (8%) when compared to girls (5%).
However, about 11% of teenagers said they were victims of bullying at school, with no significant difference being shown between boys and girls.
Another finding showed one in 10 teenagers had been involved in physical fights, 14% of them boys compared to 6% of girls.
The report said boys exhibited a higher tendency towards aggression and physical fights and called for interventions focused on emotional regulation and positive social interactions.
The increase in bullying among girls, especially through online bullying, calls for targeted gender-sensitive solutions that promote digital safety, empathy and inclusive school cultures.
WHO regional director for Europe Dr Hans Henri P Kluge said the report was a “wake-up call for all of us to address bullying and violence, whenever and wherever it happens".
“With young people spending up to six hours online every single day, even small changes in the rates of bullying and violence can have profound implications for the health and wellbeing of thousands,” Dr Kluge said.
“This is both a health and a human rights issue, and we must step up to protect our children from violence and harm, both offline and online,” he added.