Respectme

respectme, Scotland's Anti-Bullying Service, surveyed  over 3,900 young people across Scotland in October 2011 to collect data on their experiences of cyberbullying and using the internet.

The survey looked at where children go online, how long they spend online, what they use to access the internet, their experiences and the impact that cyberbullying can have on them.

• 25% of children and young people worry about cyberbullying with 16% saying they have been cyberbullied.  In 63% of these cases, children and young people knew the identity of the person bullying them. 
• 55% of children and young people use the internet every day.
• 53% are online for 1-2 hours per day, 8% say they are online for more than 5 hours per day.
• The most common devices used to access the internet are mobile phones and laptops - both used by 59%, with games consoles ahead of PCs, particularly amongst males. This reflects that children and young people use more than one device, and more than one online platform, to communicate. 
• The most common places young people go to online are Facebook, 68%, followed by BlackBerry Messenger, 28%. 

Children and young people who have been cyberbullied were most likely to tell their parent/carer and friend, followed by their teacher.

In light of this respectme's new campaign, ‘She's still going somewhere...' will be launched on Monday 14 November to mark the start of National Anti-Bullying Week. It is aimed at adults and their understanding of how children and young people use and view the internet.

Adults are increasingly concerned about cyberbullying and online safety, often brought about through lack of awareness or understanding. They need to think of the Internet differently; as just another place children and young people to go.

A short advert, which will be circulated online, has been developed to reinforce this message: www.youtube.com/respectmescotland and campaign resources will be distributed across Scotland throughout Anti-Bullying Week.