Copenhagen, Denmark:

On Wednesday, a World Health Organization European report covering 44 countries said some 16% of children aged 11 to 15 will be cyberbullied by 2022, up from 13% four years ago.

Hans Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, said in a statement: “This report is a wake-up call for us all to address bullying and violence wherever and whenever it occurs. “

According to the study, “Health Behaviors in School-Age Children,” 15 percent of boys and 16 percent of girls reported experiencing cyberbullying at least once in recent months.

The U.N. agency noted that the pandemic has changed the way teenagers behave toward each other.

“Virtual forms of peer violence have become particularly important since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, with young people’s world becoming increasingly virtual during lockdown,” the report said.

Other bullying behaviors remained largely stable, with only slight increases.

11% of boys and girls said they had been bullied at school at least two to three times a month in the past few months, compared with 10% four years ago.

six hours of screen time

The World Health Organization said boys in Bulgaria, Lithuania, Moldova and Poland had the highest levels of cyberbullying, while Spain had the lowest levels, without providing detailed figures.

“With young people spending up to six hours a day online, even small changes in rates of bullying and violence can have a profound impact on the health and wellbeing of thousands of people,” Krueger said.

One in eight teenagers admitted to cyberbullying others, a figure that increased by three percentage points from 2018, the report said.

Meanwhile, the number of teenagers involved in fighting remained stable at 10% over four years, with 14% of boys and 6% of girls.

The study was based on data from 279,000 children and adolescents in 44 countries in Europe, Central Asia and Canada.

In most places, cyberbullying peaks at age 11 for boys and 13 for girls.

The report found that parents’ socioeconomic status had little impact on children’s behavior.

One exception is Canada, where disadvantaged young people are more likely to experience bullying.

There, 27% of girls from the least affluent 20% of families said they had been bullied at school, while 21% of girls from the richest 20% of families said they had been bullied at school.

The report notes that the problem is widespread and calls for greater efforts to raise awareness.

“More investment is needed to monitor different forms of peer violence,” the report said.

“There is also an urgent need to educate young people, families and schools about the forms and impacts of cyberbullying, as well as regulating social media platforms to limit exposure to cyberbullying,” the report concluded.

six hours of screen time

The World Health Organization said boys in Bulgaria, Lithuania, Moldova and Poland had the highest levels of cyberbullying, while Spain had the lowest levels, without providing detailed figures.

“With young people spending up to six hours a day online, even small changes in rates of bullying and violence can have a profound impact on the health and wellbeing of thousands of people,” Krueger said.

One in eight teenagers admitted to cyberbullying others, a figure that increased by three percentage points from 2018, the report said.

Meanwhile, the number of teenagers involved in fighting remained stable at 10% over four years, with 14% of boys and 6% of girls.

The study was based on data from 279,000 children and adolescents in 44 countries in Europe, Central Asia and Canada.

In most places, cyberbullying peaks at age 11 for boys and 13 for girls.

The report found that parents’ socioeconomic status had little impact on children’s behavior.

One exception is Canada, where disadvantaged young people are more likely to experience bullying.

There, 27% of girls from the least affluent 20% of families said they had been bullied at school, while 21% of girls from the richest 20% of families said they had been bullied at school.

The report notes that the problem is widespread and calls for greater efforts to raise awareness.

“More investment is needed to monitor different forms of peer violence,” the report said.

“There is also an urgent need to educate young people, families and schools about the forms and impacts of cyberbullying, as well as regulating social media platforms to limit exposure to cyberbullying,” the report concluded.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)