New Delhi July 17 (IANS) While awareness about cyberbullying has increased in India by 10 percentage points in the past seven years 37 per cent of adults in the country have still not heard of it says a new study.
Globally 25 per cent of adults are unaware of cyberbullying according to the "Global Advisor Cyberbullying Study" on Tuesday by market research firm Ipsos.
"Cyberbullying is a grave issue and the child can be a victim not only on social networking sites but also on mobile online messaging email websites online chatrooms etc. " said Parijat Chakraborty Executive Director Ipsos Public Affairs.
The findings also revealed that the percentage of parents who reported having a child or knowing a child in their community who has experienced cyberbullying has increased in India since 2011.
One in two parents in the current survey reported knowing a child in their community who had been cyberbullied up from 45 per cent in 2011.
Notably 37 per cent Indian respondents this year said their own child has experienced cyberbullying -- up from a 32 per cent in 2011 the results showed.
The study carried out in 28 countries is based on over 20 000 interviews of adults conducted between March 23 and April 6 this year.
Awareness about cyberbullying is the highest in Sweden and Italy (91 per cent each) and lowest in Saudi Arabia (37 per cent) the findings showed.
The study defined cyberbullying as when a child or group of children (under the age of 18) intentionally intimidate offend threaten or embarrass another child or group of children through the use of information technology such as a website or chatroom on the Internet a cellular phone or another mobile device.

--IANS gb/bg