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Cyberbullying among Irish children has increased by 28 per cent during the lockdown \u2013 among the highest rates in Europe.<\/p>\nCyberbullying among Irish children has increased by 28 per cent during the lockdown \u2013 among the highest rates in Europe.<\/p>\n
A joint study between the European Commission and researchers at Dublin City University found rates were highest in Ireland, followed by Italy and Germany.<\/p>\n
The younger children were, the more likely they were to become victims, the study found, with the problem particularly prevalent in young boys.<\/p>\n
Tijana Milosevic, of the National Anti-Bullying Research and Resource Centre, said the results are higher than in previous studies.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cIrish children are among the top frequency numbers in Europe that we have. That is worrying in and of itself.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis was a survey that was done with children in 10 other European countries with children aged 10 to 18.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe conducted research into their use of digital media but also their experience of risks and their exposure to different types of online harm, cyberbullying being one of those.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe see a 28 per cent increase in cyberbullying victimisation during the lockdown.\u201d<\/p>\n
The findings were presented to the Oireachtas Committee on Education to mark the UN International Day Against Violence and Bullying in Schools.<\/p>\n
Overall, 49 per cent of males had experienced significantly more frequent cyberbullying since lockdown.<\/p>\n
About 66 per cent of all children between 14 and 16 experienced significantly more cyberbullying compared with pre-lockdown on instant and private messaging services such as WhatsApp, Viber and Telegram.<\/p>\n
Dr Milosevic said: \u201cThis is an increase compared to previous studies in Ireland, which have shown a cyberbullying victimization rate of about 14 per cent for primary schools and just under 10 per cent for post-primary schools.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere has been an increase, but it\u2019s not as huge of a spike as we might have expected based on media reports we were seeing during the lockdown.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said social media platforms had to do more as the lines between in-school bullying and cyberbullying become increasingly blurred.<\/p>\n
Seline Keating, a professor and research fellow in anti-bullying studies at DCU, called for a single anti-bullying program to be implemented in schools nationwide.<\/p>\n
She warned that current measures, adopted in 2013, were not being fully implemented in some schools \u2013 particularly in relation to identity-based bullying such as homophobia and transphobia.<\/p>\n
There should be a mandatory component to keep written records of all reports of bullying in schools, Dr Keating said, adding: \u201cIf schools are consistent with recording all incidents, that will highlight patterns to a school.”<\/p>\n