Online bullying remains prevalent

In the Philippines, latest national data shows that cyberviolence affects almost half of children aged 13 to 17

One in three young people in 30 countries said they have been a victim of online bullying, with one in five saying they skipped school due to cyberbullying and violence, according to a new poll released recently by United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the organization working for children’s rights.

In the Philippines, latest national data shows that cyberviolence affects almost half of children aged 13 to 17. The prevalence of cyberviolence for males (44 percent) is almost the same for females (43 percent).

One-third of cyberviolence experienced by Filipino children are in the form of verbal abuse over the Internet or cell phone, while a fourth are through sexual messages. More females received messages of sexual nature or content than males. However, twice as many males than females reported having their nude body or sexual activities, whether real or falsified, shown on the Internet or cell phone.

Violence against children, in all forms including online bullying or cyberbullying, has devastating effects on the physical and emotional wellbeing of young people. This can create lasting emotional and psychological scars, even physical harm. It is particularly challenging to address since children are vulnerable and have easy access to the Internet, making them easy targets of online violence.

In the UNICEF U-Report poll conducted in June 2019, almost three-quarters of young people from 30 countries said that social networks including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter are the most common platforms for online bullying. Being connected online means that school no longer ends once a student leaves class and neither does bullying.