Technology’s Role in Teen Bullying and Dating Violence

A recent Urban Institute study explored how technology affects teen dating violence and abuse and teen bullying.  The study found that social media, texting, and other technologies have created new opportunities for such abusive behaviors, and that online abuse or bullying is often accompanied by such behaviors in person.

The researchers surveyed over 5,000 teens in 10 middle and high schools in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.  Among the results regarding dating violence and abuse:

1. 26% of survey participants in a dating relationship, and 18% of all participants, reported being victims of cyber dating abuse in the past year (such as threats, harassing contacts, or a dating partner using the other partner’s social networking account without permission).
2. 12% of participants in a relationship, and 8% of all participants, reported having perpetrated cyber dating abuse in the past year.
3. Female participants reported higher victimization rates for cyber dating abuse, psychological dating abuse, and sexual coercion, but males reported higher victimization rates for physical dating violence.

Among the results regarding bullying:

1. 17% of participants (11% of males and almost 23% of females) reported being victims of cyber bullying within the past year.
2. Female participants (9%) were more likely than males (6%) to report perpetrating cyber bullying within the past year.