New statistics published by the Association Against Cyber Bullying in Germany show that school children are increasingly falling victim to cyber bullying. The study shows that one in six school children suffer from cyber bullying.

Cybermobbing, Mobbing
©-Erwin-Wodicka-Fotolia

Reasons for cyber bullying

The  statistics show that 20% of 14 – 16 year olds are bullied over the internet. Nineteen per cent of all the school children surveyed admitted to having suffered from cyber bullying on at least one occasion. Eighty per cent of cyber bullying takes place on social media networks, such as Facebook.

According to the report, the motive for bullying someone over the internet include boredom, fun and to wear people down.

Head of the association, Uwe Leest, called for social networks take more responsibility by publishing information and hints on the dangers of cyber bullying and to react to reports of cyber bullying more quickly.

In the light of this report, which the association and its sponsor ARAG insurance are hailing as the largest study of its kind in German-speaking countries, the association is organising an international cyber-bullying congress in Berlin which will take place of 11th September 2013.