85% of schoolchildren in UAE have been bullied
It occurs mainly online and only half of parents are aware
Eighty five per cent of UAE schoolchildren have been bullied, mainly online, and only half of parents are aware, according to a Cartoon Network MENA Survey.
Seven hundred UAE-based parents of children aged 6-12 were surveyed and the results were revealed yesterday.
The survey found that bullying is least likely to happen in school as most bullying occurs online and girls are just as likely as boys to be bullies or victims.
Most bullying (42 per cent) happens online, followed by outside school (40 per cent) and the least in school (39 per cent).
Psychological bullying is most common (15 per cent), followed by verbal bullying and physical bullying (13 per cent).
Peer pressure is the leading reason (22 to 23 per cent) for bullying, with one in five boys targeted because of their weight and an equal proportion of girls victimised because of an unstable home.
On a positive note, almost two-thirds of parents (65 per cent) are confident their children’s school is doing everything it can to prevent bullying. Despite high reported rates of bullying in the UAE, the survey figures are similar to average worldwide trends.
The ‘CN Buddy Network’ campaign is running tailored school workshops by specialised child psychologists that aim to create a positive school culture and help prevent bullying among students. The workshops will continue until December.
At least 85 per cent of UAE schoolchildren have been bullied, mostly online, a new survey suggested in Dubai yesterday. It also showed that only half of UAE parents are aware that their child has been bullied.
Cartoon Network Middle East conducted the survey through ‘Opinion Matters’ among 700 UAE-based parents of children aged six to 12 years, to study the impact of bullying for a month in 2019. The survey covered all seven emirates.The survey’s key findings were revealed during the launch of Cartoon Network Middle East’s UAE-wide antibullying campaign ‘CN Buddy Network’, encouraging children aged five to 12 years to ‘Be a Buddy, Not a Bully.’
The survey results are similar to average worldwide trends, UAE-based child psychologist Dr Haneen Jarrar, who is participating in the campaign, said.
School workshops
The ‘CN Buddy Network’ campaign is running school workshops by child psychologists that aim to create a positive school culture and help prevent bullying among students. The workshops will continue until December and will target over 1,000 students in at least 50 schools.
Dr Jarrar said the workshops will try to help bullies too, who often come from a troubled background, are sometimes victims of bullying themselves; or suffer low self-esteem. “I always say kids ask for love in the most unloving ways; it’s always the case. So when a child is aggressive or a bully, this is actually a red flag that there is something going on,” she added.
She added that many insurance companies now provide cover for such cases, thanks to efforts by UAE health and education authorities.
Anti-bullying kits
Also, anti-bullying school kits will be distributed to students, including various games and tools to engage them in anti-bullying activities during the workshops. A Buddy Network website — https://beabuddy. cartoonnetworkmena.com — has also been developed, which includes information and advice for parents and children to counter bullying.
As part of the campaign, Cartoon Network is also partnering with Sony Music Entertainment Middle East to create an antibullying song performed by YouTube star singers; the sisters Rawan and Rayan. The Arabic pop song speaks to children with positive messages around inclusion, and will be aired on TV and available worldwide across all music services.
Buddy Network campaign
Darine Al Khatib, Senior Director Creative Strategy and Brand Development at Turner Mena and Turkey, said: “As 2019 is the Year of Tolerance in the UAE, we have decided to launch the Buddy Network campaign for the very first time in the Middle East, starting with the UAE. We hope that this campaign will raise awareness around this sensitive topic through promoting friendship and kindness, and educate children and parents about the effects of bullying.” She described the 85 per cent figure from the survey as “shocking”.
Mike Fairburn, General Manager, Sony Music Entertainment Middle East, said: “Music is a universal language. It connects people and builds lasting memories. Cartoon Network shares this vision and we are delighted to be working together with them on this campaign.”
The CN Buddy Network campaign is part of Cartoon Network’s global Buddy Network — a peer-to-peer anti-bullying initiative that started in the US, UK and parts of Europe. It uses TV content, events and digital and social outreach to spread the message on bullying.