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Studies Reveal Contrast Between Teenage Male And Female Cyberbullying Incidents

The findings have led to calls for a more gender focused approach to interventions that recognizes the signs of danger for both girls and boys, probes issues from different angles, and addresses assumptions about bullying behaviors. If you are affected by cyberbullying or anything else touched on within this article, follow the links to our various support services or click on the blue logo icon at the bottom right of the screen to start using Cybersmile Assistant, our smart AI support assistant.

Figures released by the U.S. National Center for Education Statistics have revealed that numbers of reported cyberbullying incidents involving girls being targeted are three times higher than incidents involving boys.

The study revealed that 21% of girls in middle and high school reported being bullied online or by text message, compared with less than 7% of boys.

Rachel Whalen, a teenager who has been previously targeted by cyberbullies commented on how she felt that peer pressures online made girls more vulnerable to cyberbullying than boys.

“There’s just some pressure in that competitive atmosphere that is all about attention. This social media acceptance, it just makes sense to me that it’s more predominant amongst girls.”

Rachel Whalen, Utah

A University in Australia has offered insights into how the differences in use of the internet and the type of online interactions boys and girls are involved in could be a major factor. Research Fellow at Griffith University, Queensland, Roberta Thompson explained how girl’s online friendships are more visually-oriented than boys and that they were more likely to use social media to post and curate personal images, share stories and experiences, seek advice on private matters and appearance, as well as planning and organizing social events. Thompson felt that these practices place teenage girls at risk for problems associated with bullying such as gossip, name-calling, spreading rumors, coercion, and shaming.

This view has been supported by figures from a report published by PEW Research Centre in the U.S. that show girls are more likely to be targets of online rumor-spreading, shaming and the receiving of unsolicited explicit images.

The findings from these studies has led to calls for a more gender focused approach to interventions that recognizes the signs of danger for both girls and boys, probes issues from different angles, and addresses assumptions about bullying behaviors.

If you are affected by any kind of online negativity, we can help you. Visit our Cyberbullying Help Center or click on the blue logo icon at the bottom right of the screen to open Cybersmile Assistant, our smart AI support assistant. For further information about Cybersmile and the work we do, please explore the following suggestions:

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