Research into cyber-bullying
The rapid development of social networking sites, mobile social networking platforms, such as MXIT, and indeed the widespread access to mobile telephony itself has provided a powerful space for young people to engage in public life. But these media have also increased the opportunities for online or 'cyber' victimisation, bullying and aggression.

This is evident in the reports of, for example, hate lists on websites, incidents of 'happy slapping' and the phone-videoing and distribution of schoolyard fights and assaults. Internet and mobile technologies increase anonymity and provide some level of disassociation with acts of aggression, making aggression and bullying much easier through these media. And yet very little empirical research has been done in South Africa on the extent and nature of these forms of cyber aggression.

The initial paper (CJCP Issue Paper No. 8: Inescapable Violence – Cyber Bullying and Electronic Violence against young People in South Africa)(LINK TO PUB) presents the initial findings of a 2009 CJCP research study undertaken in four South African cities, in which 1,726 young people participated and spoke about their experiences of aggression. The paper explores the prevalence of various forms of cyber aggression, as well as other characteristics and relationships, not least of which is the strong relationship between victims and perpetrators of online aggression.