The General Association of Chinese Students of Macau (AECM) surveyed 3,690 pupils, 10 percent of whom said that they had been cyberbullied, a statement provided by the group during a press conference at Wa Long Industrial Building yesterday.
According to the statement, after surveying 16 secondary schools, 70 percent of the respondents acted as bystanders when witnessing a cyberbully situation, adding that 4.4 percent of them said they had been “intentionally cyberbullied” in the past two years.
The statement noted that the respondents got bullied by “strangers”, “schoolmates” and “internet users” the most, adding that usually the victims of cyberbullying receive “harassing or threatening messages” and “had false rumours spread about them”. The statement pointed out that over 60 percent of the respondents said that cyberbullying could affect one’s mental health for between one week and six months.
The statement said that over 80 percent of local secondary pupils said that they sought help from their parents or other family members, teachers, school counsellor or police officers when they witnessed or experienced cyberbullying.
The association urged residents to be more aware of youth cyberbullying and how it affects one’s mental health, adding that education authorities, schools and families should strengthen communication and stop cyberbullying when seeing it happen.
Three representatives from the General Association of Chinese Students of Macau (AECM) present yesterday the survey’s findings about cyberbullying affecting pupils at Wa Long Industrial Building. Photo courtesy TDM
