Bullying used to end at the school gate. Today, it follows a child home and sleeps next to them on their phone. As countries debate social media bans for children, Indian parents are asking: will taking the phone away keep their child safe? Experts say it is not that simple.
\n\n"85% of Indian children report being cyberbullied, the highest among countries surveyed,” says Arati Mitra, Associate Director, Impact & Communications, Catalysts for Social Action (CSA). “When worth is measured in likes, every post becomes a public test."
\n\nDr. Sharadhi C, Consultant – Psychiatry, Aster CMI Hospital, Bangalore, says modern-day child abuse is not limited to physical harm. "Cyberbullying, online harassment and peer pressure can deeply affect a child’s emotional well-being. Children may face hurtful comments about their appearance, body shape, clothing or behaviour." Misinformation makes it worse. “Misinformation about sexual orientation teaches children shame, and shame makes them easy targets,” says Mitra. Dr. Sharadhi adds that such content “can also create confusion, fear and shame.”
\n\nAccording to Dr. Sharadhi, a child who is being bullied “may become withdrawn, anxious, angry or unusually quiet.” They may lose interest in hobbies, spend less time with friends or see a drop in marks.
Original source: https://www.timesnownews.com/lifestyle
