Cyber victimization during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A syndemic looming large

Shoib, Sheikh ; Philip, Sharad ; Bista, Seema ; Saeed, Fahimeh ; Javed, Sana ; Ori, Dorottya ; Bashir, Adil ; Chandradasa, Miyuru (2022) — Health Science Reports

DOI: 10.1002/hsr2.528

Synopsis

The commentary highlights how the COVID-19 pandemic increased online presence due to lockdowns and social isolation, which in turn escalated incidents of cyber victimization. This includes cyberbullying, harassment, stalking, trolling, fraud, romance scams, phishing, and financial scams.

The authors emphasize that students, individuals with disabilities, and people with chronic illnesses were particularly vulnerable. Risk factors included high social media use, online gaming, excessive screen time, and sharing personal information. Victims reported anxiety, depression, distress, self-harm, and even suicide, with the pandemic compounding these harms by limiting access to in-person support.

The paper frames this as a “syndemic”—a convergence of the pandemic with rising cyber victimization and its severe mental health consequences. It calls for better prevention strategies, improved awareness, stronger online platform responsibility, and integration of psychological support for victims.

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