One in four Canadian youth report experiencing at least one form of cybervictimization

A recent study found that one in four Canadian youth had experienced at least one form of cybervictimization in the previous 12 months, with transgender and non-binary youth, females attracted to the same gender or unsure of their attraction, and adolescents living with chronic conditions at a higher risk of cybervictimization.

Prior to the pandemic in 2019, we asked Canadian youth aged 12 to 17 about their experiences of cybervictimization in the previous 12 months. Cybervictimization can take many forms, including threats; harassment; social exclusion; the sharing of personal information online without consent; and other behaviours intended to cause fear, harm, embarrassment or exclusion.

Youth who experienced cybervictimization over this period were at an increased risk of having poorer general mental health, difficulty with depression or anxiety, and eating disorders. Youth aged 15 to 17 who had experienced cybervictimization were also at an increased risk of thinking about or attempting suicide.

One in four Canadian youth (25%) had experienced at least one incident of cybervictimization in the past 12 months, with older youth aged 15 to 17 (27%) having a higher risk than those aged 12 to 14 (22%).

Nationally, youth in Quebec were least likely to have experienced cybervictimization at 20%.

Indigenous and White youth reported the highest level of cybervictimization among all population groups over this period.

Transgender and non-binary youth are at highest risk of cybervictimization

The study found that transgender and non-binary youth (47%) were almost twice as likely to experience cybervictimization as cisgender youth (25%).

Youth aged 15 to 17 who were attracted to the same gender (32%) were also at higher risk of cybervictimization compared with youth exclusively attracted to a different gender (26%).

These findings support previous literature reporting that LGBTQ youth are at disproportionate risk of experiencing cybervictimization.

Youth with chronic conditions are at higher risk of cybervictimization

Youth aged 12 to 17 with a chronic condition (28%) were at higher risk of cybervictimization compared with those without one (23%).

Several reasons for this vulnerability have been proposed. The daily management required by many conditions, as well as activity limitations for some youth, may, for example, set youth apart from their peers and confer a social disadvantage. 

South Asian, Chinese and Filipino youth are less likely to experience cybervictimization than Indigenous or White youth

The study also found that members of certain population groups, such as South Asian, Chinese and Filipino, were less likely to experience cybervictimization than Indigenous or White youth. It has been hypothesized that reduced rates of cybervictimization among some racialized groups reflect lower rates of technology ownership among families from these groups and differences in preferred social media platforms between groups.

Some Canadian research has suggested that youth of East Asian descent (including Chinese and Filipino descent) are less likely to perpetrate cybervictimization than their White peers, a finding that has been linked to cultural differences in the importance of social responsibility.

The 2023 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth is now underway!

The second wave of the 2023 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth is now underway across Canada.

The survey explores issues that have an impact on the physical and mental health of children and youth, such as physical activity, the use of electronic devices, time spent in school and extracurricular activities, mental health, childhood experiences, suicidal thoughts, substance use and the impacts of the pandemic.

Information from the survey will be used to develop appropriate programs and policies to better serve Canadian children and youth, as well as promote good physical and mental health.