Article published: Mon 14th November 2011
respectme, Scotland's
Anti-Bullying Service, is launching a new campaign at the start of
Anti-Bullying Week.
respectme,
which is managed by SAMH and LGBT Youth Scotland, surveyed over
3,900 young people across
Scotland in October 2011 to collect data on their experiences of
cyberbullying and using the internet. The survey looked at where
children go online, how long they spend online, what they use to
access the internet, their experiences and the impact that
cyberbullying can have on them.
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25% of children and young people worry about cyberbullying
with 16% saying they have been cyberbullied. In 63%
of these
cases, children and young people knew the identity of the person
bullying them.
-
55% of children and young people use
the internet every day.
-
53% are online for 1-2
hours per day,
8% say they are online for more than 5 hours per
day.
-
The most common devices used to access the internet are
mobile phones and laptops - both used by 59%,
with games consoles ahead of PCs, particularly amongst males. This
reflects that children and young people use more than one device,
and more than one online platform, to communicate.
-
The most common places young people go to online are
Facebook, 68%, followed by
BlackBerry Messenger, 28%.
Children
and young people who have been cyberbullied were most likely to
tell their parent/carer and friend, followed by their teacher.
The response was the same for those who were asked
who they would tell if they were to be bullied online.
In light of
this respectme's new
campaign, 'She's still going
somewhere…' will be launched on Monday 14 November to
mark the start of National Anti-Bullying Week. It is aimed at
adults and their understanding of how children and young people use
and view the internet.
Adults are
increasingly concerned about cyberbullying and online safety, often
brought about through lack of awareness or understanding. They need
to think of the Internet differently; as just another place
children and young people to go.
When a child asks if they can go into town with their friends,
depending on their age, you would want to know who they were
going with, how long for, where exactly they would be and
you'd agree when they were to phone to let you know they
are safe. We need to
have the same concerns and a similar response if they are going
online, because they're still going somewhere...
A short
advert, which will be circulated online, has been developed to
reinforce this message: www.youtube.com/respectmescotland
and campaign resources will be distributed across Scotland
throughout Anti-Bullying Week.
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