Perceptions and experiences of cyberbullying amongst university students in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa

Abstract

Cyberbullying in South Africa has become a problem in the recent past. However, there is a lack of research focusing on cyberbullying at the university level. This study investigates the perceptions and experiences of cyberbullying amongst tertiary students in the Eastern Cape province. The study used a quantitative survey approach to collect data from 150 students at a university in the Eastern Cape. The results indicated that one-third of the students had been victims of cyberbullying. Overall, students considered cyberbullying as a serious issue, but less than one-third of the students could identify the indirect methods of cyberbullying. The topic has not been incorporated into policy or the university curriculum in South Africa. This study recommends that the Department of Higher Education must provide a standardised policy and curriculum on cyberbullying that universities can use to implement and enforce cyber safety behaviour at the university.