Picture used for illustrative purpose only.

Maitha Al Ketbi, Staff Reporter

The Family Development Foundation in Abu Dhabi confirmed that with the great spread of social media among all segments of society, many distinguishing signs and changes in behaviours appeared, whether positive or negative, and what draws attention recently is the spread of a negative phenomenon that existed in a limited way before the digital world.

But it has increased alarmingly with the introduction of these digital platforms, which is that females are more vulnerable to cyberbullying than males.

Wafaa Muhammad Al Ali, Director of the Family Counseling and Counseling Department at the Family Development Foundation, said in exclusive statements to Gulf Today, “Many studies indicate a high prevalence of cyberbullying, according to the gender variable in favour of females, and this is due to several reasons, including: nature of female psychology, the societal view of females, and the fear of responding firmly to the bully, and some females are reluctant to disclose these matters for fear of parents and the view of society, which may push the bully to continue his bullying behaviour, unlike males who may face these behaviours alone or with the help of companions or parents in some cases."

She added: “It is easy for us to distinguish the types of bullying represented in physical or verbal abuse, and although cyberbullying disappears, its consequences remain stuck in the memory, affecting the psyche and leaving pain that affects the adaptation and psychological development of individuals, and cyberbullying does not appear alone without a digital device that embraces it.”

Where this type of bullying is evident through text messages, applications and social networking sites in its forms, as well as video games, especially those that provide spaces for chatting and many others.

She stressed that there are 6 methods of treatment, including: intensifying specialized awareness campaigns, whether in schools or universities, and the participation of families in these campaigns to increase effectiveness and reduce such phenomena, and increase awareness of parents and educators of the size of the risks arising from digital devices that may surround the emerging generation and the depth of their psychological impact, in addition to To educate young people about the impact and harm of cyberbullying, whether by publishing hateful comments, inappropriate content, or other actions that may lead to judicial accountability.

She added that among the methods of prevention also is the need for parents to monitor applications and electronic games, and their suitability for the age of their children, and to report bullying, and this is something that should be reinforced by children, whether at home or educational institutions, because victims of bullying often fear and suppress their feelings for fear of Blaming or punishing, and urging children not to participate in manifestations of cyberbullying, even if it appears as a joke, such as preventing them from putting likes or comment phrases or transmitting them, because participation in transmitting everything that is offensive is considered an explicit participation in bullying behaviour.