Cyberbullying worsened by lockdown

Alex Curry, Delivery Manager at Young Gloucestershire, an organisation supporting the mental and physical wellbeing of young people in Gloucestershire, says:

“Cyberbullying is something we deal with frequently and it’s very concerning to see it increasing.

“Some of the main cyberbullying challenges our young people encounter relate to mental health, body image, homophobic and transphobic abuse, bereavement and racism.

“This can cause withdrawal and disengagement from school, leading to our mentors focusing on building self-esteem and reducing anxiety to help young people reengage in education.

“The issue has certainly become worse since lockdown. The main support strategies we encourage are online blocking, confiding in a trusted adult, using safeguarding apps, and improved online safety skills and education.

“It’s also helpful for parents and carers to understand how social media apps work, so that they can better appreciate the risks, limitations and issues involved in evidencing cyberbullying, which is particularly prevalent on platforms such as Snap Chat.”