A quarter of students in Cyprus admits to being a victim of bullying, both within the school context and online, indicating a distressing escalation of this issue over the past three years, said ‘Hope for Children’ CRC Policy Center in a statement issued on Wednesday, on the occasion the International Day Against Bullying on March 6th.
According to the Center, bullying can be defined as an ‘aggressive, repeated, intentional behavior involving an imbalance of power aimed toward an individual or group of individuals who cannot easily defend themselves’, adding that although physical and cyberbullying are often of greatest concern, social and verbal bullying are the most common forms students experience and the most difficult to identify.
‘Hope for Children’ also refers to a comprehensive research study conducted to analyze the prevalence of school violence in Cyprus as part of the ongoing National Strategy for Prevention and Management of School Violence (2018-2024), whose findings revealed that 1 in 4 studen
ts admits to being a victim of bullying, both within the school context and online, indicating a distressing escalation of this issue over the past three years.
Key highlights from the research include the continued observation by over 95% of educators of instances of violence among students, emphasizing the pervasive nature of the issue within school settings. Additionally, it reveals that 1 in 5 teenagers falls victim to cyberbullying, aligning with broader European data on digital harassment. Moreover, the research indicates that one in ten children experiences marginalization, further emphasizing the urgent need for targeted interventions and support mechanisms. It is added that more than half of students adopt a passive bystander role during incidents of school violence, with only 18% actively defending or comforting victims, with the findings underscoring the critical imperative to address and combat school bullying effectively.
It is added that the Center conducts experiential workshops for the preve
ntion and handling of school bullying, offering programs such as ‘Beat Bullying’ which educates students, through non-formal education, to deal with the phenomenon, and the operation of CRC Clubs in schools, where the aim is for children to be educated about their rights and responsibilities that are set out in the Convention on the Rights of the Child and to act as Ambassadors of the Rights of the Child in their schools.
Simultaneously, ‘Hope for Children’ in cooperation with SPAVO operates the European Helpline for Children and Teenagers 116111, which enables all children to call for free and anonymously to receive guidance and psychological support services, and offers free psychological and counselling services for children and parents, as well as remote guidance via the national support line 1466, the statement concludes.
Source: Cyprus News Agency