Online anonymity makes bullies more vicious, because they believe they can’t be traced or reprimanded.

Which makes cyberbullying one of the most common forms of bullying nowadays.

How Big is the problem?

“Cyberbullies can hide behind a mask of anonymity online and do not need direct physical access to their
victims to do unimaginable harm.” —  Inspirational speaker, writer and community leader Anna Maria
Chavez.

A 2018 Pew Research study found that a majority of U.S teens (59%) experienced some form of
cyberbullying. Whereby, a particularly high 58% expressed criticism of teachers’ efforts to address online
harassment and cyberbullying.

Additionally, One in three parents worldwide (33%) report knowing a child who had been cyberbullied, a
percentage that’s increasing globally from 2011 according to Ipsos,. 

The Effect of Cyberbullying on Kids

Just like face-to-face bullying, cyberbullying can have catastrophic effects, including:

1. Drops in school grades and/or loss of interest in education.

2. Low self-esteem.
3. Depression.
4. Hostile behaviour.
5. Suicidal tendencies — Cyberbullying victims under 25 are more than twice as likely to self-harm and
develop suicidal tendencies, according to a study.

MANILA, 6 September 2019—One in three young people in 30 countries said they have been a victim of
online bullying, with one in five saying they skipped school due to cyberbullying and violence, according to a
new poll released today by UNICEF, the United Nations organization working for children’s rights.

In the Philippines, latest national data show that cyberviolence affects almost half of children aged 13-171. The
prevalence of cyberviolence for males (44 per cent) is almost the same for females (43 per cent).

One-third of cyberviolence experienced by Filipino children are in the form of verbal abuse over the internet or
cellphone, while a fourth are through sexual messages. More females received messages of sexual nature or
content than males. However, twice as many males than females reported having their nude body or sexual
activities, whether real or falsified, shown on the internet or cellphone.
Violence against children, in all forms including online bullying or cyberbullying, has devastating effects on the
physical and emotional wellbeing of young people. This can create lasting emotional and psychological scars,
even physical harm. It is particularly challenging to address since children are vulnerable and have easy access
to the internet, making them easy targets of online violence.

In the UNICEF U-Report poll conducted in June 2019, almost three-quarters of young people from 30 countries
said that social networks including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter are the most common platforms
for online bullying. Being connected online means that school no longer ends once a student leaves class, and
neither does bullying.

The U-Report further revealed that 32 per cent believe that the government is mainly responsible in addressing
online bullying, 31 per cent said that young people are responsible, while 29 per cent said internet companies.
These show that opinions are equally divided on who should be responsible for ending online bullying –
highlighting the need to involve children and young people in the shared responsibility.

UNICEF is calling for urgent action to implement policies that will protect children and young people from
bullying – both online and offline. Addressing the problem requires action from all of us.

Establishing and equipping national helplines to support children and young people in reporting violence is a
concrete step. Training teachers and parents to respond to and prevent bullying will ensure the safety of children
and young people, particularly the most vulnerable ones.

Gathering better data about the online behavior of children and young people, and how criminals are using the
internet, will guide policies and action plans.

UNICEF is also urging social media and social networking service companies to improve ethical standards and
practices in collecting and managing information of children. 

1 
National Baseline Survey on Violence Against Children (NBS-VAC), 2016
https://www.unicef.org/philippines/press-releases/online-bullying-remains-prevalent-philippines-other-countries
Responsibilities in Bullying Incidents

Section 15. The following are the responsibilities of stakeholders in bullying incidents:

(1) Bully

The “Bully” shall:

a. Comply with the intervention and prevention programs of the school;

b. Submit to due process of the school as part of disciplinary action whenever

necessary.

(2) Bullied or Victim

The Bullied or Victim shall:

a. Avoid retaliation;

b. Report his/her experience to the teacher, Office of Student Affairs (OSA)/Prefect

of Discipline/Guidance Office, or other persons or school authorities; and

c. Be circumspect in his/her claims against the alleged bully.

(3) Bystander

The bystander shall:

a. Promptly report cases of bullying, that which he or she witnessed or has

personal knowledge of, to the teacher, Office of Student Affairs (OSA)/Prefect of

Discipline/Guidance Office, or any person or school authorities;

b. Not to join the bullying;

c. Secure the safety of the victim whenever possible without causing harm to

himself or herself.

Students in General

Students shall:

a. Participate and cooperate in all prevention, intervention and other measures

related to bullying implemented by the School;

b. Avoid or refrain from any act of bullying;

c. Intervene to protect the victim, unless it will jeopardize his safety and security;

and

d. Report to school authorities any incident of bullying.

(7) Parents

Parents shall:
a. Participate in bullying prevention activities of the school which includes:

1. Education on relevant policies;

2. Sharing of best practices on how to reinforce positive social and emotional

skills to the children.

b. Cooperate with the school authorities in bullying incidents involving their

child/children; and

c. Not to take matters into their own hands in resolving bullying incidents

https://www.ceap.org.ph/upload/download/20143/492219588_1.pdf