The e-Enfance/3018 Association and Caisse d'Epargne unveil a groundbreaking study* on the exposure of young adults (aged 18 to 25) to cyber violence and more particularly cyberbullying*. In this study, 60% of 18-25 year olds say they have already been confronted with a situation of cyberbullying..
Published in 2021, an initial study conducted among primary, middle and high school pupils revealed that 20% of children and teenagers (aged 6–18) had been affected by cyberbullying.
Since the massive growth of social media, the health crisis and the various lockdowns, 90% of young adults believe that the amount of time they spend on the internet and social media has increased, with 59% saying it has increased «significantly». The health crisis has also facilitated an increase in risky behaviour on the internet and social media. Among these behaviours are:, 64 % believe they are exposing themselves to risks when using them.
And even though they have benefited from preventive measures, they are only 24 % estimated that they had been fully sensitised.
Cyberbullying can have serious consequences on the mental and physical health of victims, who do not really fit a “typical profile”. Among 18-25 year olds, 69 % of young adults who have been victims of bullying report having suffered from insomnia, appetite disorders or despair, 51 % almost fell into addictive behaviours (alcohol or drugs) and 49 % recognise have contemplated suicide.
In order to tackle cyberbullying, more and more young adults would like to see a more intensive psychological support (62%) or from the’assistance provided by an organisation specialised in this field (52%).
*Online survey conducted by Audirep for Caisse d'Epargne between 18 May and 3 June 2022., among a sample of 1,209 young people aged 18 to 25.
