Bullying, cyberbullying and Internet usage among young people in post-conflict Belfast

Abstract

In this paper, we analyse the relationship between bullying, cyberbullying and Internet usage in the post-conflict city of Belfast, using the conceptual framework of social capital theory. Observing the results of a survey we conducted among young people, with the help of local partners, we found a paradox, according to which moderate Internet users claimed to have been more exposed to cyberbullying than heavy Internet users. In the observed context, cyberspace seems to be a more suitable place for verbal offences, in particular for vulgar messages, the high level of occurrence of which, compared to the offline environment, explains the high levels of cyberbullying. Moreover, our findings confirmed a gender pattern according to which males constitute a slight majority of bullying victims, while females are a significant majority among cyberbullying victims.