Sharp increase in online sexual harassment among Swiss teens
Swiss youths are experiencing worrying rates of online sexual harassment and cyberstalking, with girls more affected than boys, say researchers. This coincides with the steep rise in the use of video sharing apps such as TikTok.
This content was published on
3 minutes
Keystone-SDA/jdp
Português
pt
Assédio sexual online aumenta entre adolescentes suíços
The 2022 James studyExternal link, published on Thursday by the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) and Swisscom, revealed that nearly half of the 1,000 adolescents surveyed had been sexually harassed at least once online, compared to 19% in 2014.
Girls are far more often victims of the phenomenon than boys (60% versus 33%). Half of the teenage girls harassed were encouraged by a stranger to send erotic photos.
Overall, Instagram (81%) and Snapchat (76%) remain the most-used social networks by Swiss teenagers. However, the Chinese video app TikTok has recorded a meteoric rise with 67% of young people regularly using the platform, compared to 51% two years ago and 8% in 2018.
More
More
Schools declare war on bullying
This content was published on
Roughly one in ten children in Switzerland is a victim of bullying. Schools are responding with programmes that tackle group dynamics.
When on social networks, young people are publishing posts less frequently than in the past, and when they do, it is rather “stories” or ephemeral “snaps”. They tend to look at other posts and “like” them or write personal messages via chat. Some 97% of youth surveyed communicate on WhatsApp.
In contrast, teens have virtually disappeared from Facebook: only 5% still use it every day or several times a week. In 2014, 79% did so.
Girls are more frequent users of social media apps, particularly TikTok, Instagram and Pinterest, whereas boys are more likely to spend their time online playing video games. Some 79% of young people play video games at least some of the time, with boys (93%) far more likely to play than girls (65%). However, the share of girl gamers has increased since 2018.
Call to action
The findings, say the ZHAW researchers, point to an urgent need to protect youth, particularly during a sensitive phase of personal and sexual development. They call for a comprehensive range of media education measures.
In addition to more attention in schools, “parents must also take a greater interest in the problem and assume their responsibility. Just as they accompany their children on the street, they must do the same on the Internet,” said Michael In Albon, who is responsible for media protection for youth at Swisscom.
Another worrisome phenomenon, says the study, is that youth are becoming more careless about privacy protection . Ten years ago, 84% of young people said they had activated the appropriate privacy settings on social networks, but today only 60% said they had. While adolescents have become more discreet about the information they publish about themselves, their fear of personal data being leaked online has decreased.
The James study, released every two years by the Zurich University of Applied Sciences and Swisscom, is based on a survey of media habits of some 1,000 Swiss between the ages of 12 and 19.
Switzerland abstains from vote on Palestinian bid for full UN membership
This content was published on
On Friday, Switzerland abstained from the vote at the General Assembly on granting the Palestinians new rights at the United Nations (UN).
Protein in abdominal fat could help shape obesity treatment
This content was published on
The study analysed fat cells from different locations in the body, and found that those in the abdomen have unique properties.
North African asylum claims fall after rapid Swiss processing
This content was published on
The accelerated procedure, now out of its test phase, has resulted in a significant drop in applications from North African countries.
This content was published on
The artist's song "The Code" focuses on their journey as a nonbinary individual. It is one of the favourites to win this year's contest.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Fifth of Swiss youth suffer from sleep and concentration problems
This content was published on
Most Swiss youth report to be in good health but a growing number are affected by health ailments such as headaches and insomnia.
Girl’s parents win bravery award for work against online bullying
This content was published on
Nadya and Candid Pfister have been awarded the Prix Courage for their work against cyberbullying since the suicide of their 13-year-old daughter.
Swiss schools struggle with homophobic language and bullying
This content was published on
One in four high school students admit to uttering anti-gay slurs or engaging in violence against a presumed homosexual classmate.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.