According to a poll of 9,500 National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteers from 24 universities and educational institutions in Assam, Facebook and Instagram are the most popular platforms for bullying young people.
According to a poll conducted by UNICEF to support the Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (ASCPCR), 95% of the state’s youth suffer from mental health problems as a result of corporal punishment.
The ASCPCR’s Suraksha campaign launched the U-Report poll on July 18 with the goal of raising public awareness about different types of violence against children and redressal mechanisms. The majority of NSS volunteers who took part in the poll stated that they were aware of issues such as cyberbullying and corporal punishment.
According to the poll results, 35% of young people have experienced corporal punishment at home, 25% at school, and 14% in other settings such as private coaching centres and sports fields. In all three settings, approximately 26% experienced it.
The most common type of punishment was hitting or slapping on the limbs (67%), followed by yelling or verbal abuse (16%). According to the poll report, nearly 60% of young people who experienced corporal punishment said it impacted their social relationships, causing stress, anxiety, and fear for 24% and physical injury for 17%.
Half of young people said they were bullied online by an unknown person, 12% by a classmate, and 14% by a friend.
With 36% of cases, Facebook was the most commonly used platform for bullying, followed by Instagram with 25%. The most common form of bullying (35% of the time) was the spread of lies, embarrassing photos or videos on social media.
According to the report, the most common reason for online bullying was physical appearance.
“Given the Assam Government’s impetus on creating a conducive environment for young people to grow and thrive, UNICEF has been working with young people in Assam, especially those from the most vulnerable communities,” Madhulika Jonathan, UNICEF Assam’s chief, said.
The survey was the result of a collaboration between UNICEF Assam and the Directorate of NSS for the Northeast Region to better understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children between 2020 and 2021.
Currently, 19% of Assam’s 3.1 crore population (Census 2011) is between the ages of 15 and 24.