title: International note: awareness and context of cyber-harassment among secondary school students in Oyo state, Nigeria.
abstract: We determined the awareness and context of cyber-harassment among secondary school students (653 survey respondents and 18 in-depth interviewees) in Oyo state, Nigeria. Respondents' mean age was 14.2 ± 2.2 years and 53.9% were aware of cyber-harassment occurring in their school or among their friends. Cyber-harassment was often perpetrated via phone calls (62.5%), text messaging (36.9%), chat rooms (28.7%), through pictures or video clips sent via mobile phones (11.9%), emails (6.8%) or websites (5.9%). Cyber-harassment behaviours mentioned were the use of abusive words (25.4%), saying mean things or making fun of the victim (13.9%), solicitations for relationships (7.9%) or sex (6.8%) and spreading rumours about the victim (6.8%). In-depth interviewees recounted experiences of cyber-harassment suffered by their friends. Many were relationship-related, sexual solicitations and threats and corroborated quantitative findings. Respondents are aware of cyber-harassment occurring among students in the study area. Comprehensive interventions to address the problem need to be instituted.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Child Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Electronic address: daisyolu@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: Adesola O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Olumide
authors.affiliation: Institute of Child Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.affiliation: Institute of Child Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Olukemi K
authors.initials: OK
authors.lastname: Amodu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001364:Awareness; D058445:Bullying / Q000523:psychology; D040421:Cell Phone; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria; D012574:Schools; D017406:Sexual Harassment / Q000523:psychology; D012919:Social Behavior; D012938:Social Perception; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Cyber-harassment; Cyberbullying; Electronic media; Secondary school students