Online harassment is common, but cyber violence can escalate fast. In a 2021 Pew Research Center survey of U.S. adults, 41% reported experiencing some form of online harassment, including sustained unwanted sexual advances or abuse by strangers. Later reporting shows victims often endure ongoing harm rather than isolated incidents, including 37% of U.S. middle and high school students who said they were cyberbullied in the past month.
Key Takeaways
- In a 2021 Pew Research Center survey of 10,093 U.S. adults, 41% reported experiencing some form of online harassment, including offensive name-calling, sustained unwanted flirting or sexual advances, or harassment by strangers
- Cyberbullying Research Center 2022 found victims of cyberbullying are 2 times more likely to attempt suicide
- Cyberbullying.org 2022: Only 12% of cyberbullying incidents reported to adults
- Cyberbullying.org 2022: 46% of cyberbullying involves name-calling or insults
- In the 2021 Pew survey, 41% of women vs 30% of men experienced online harassment
Cyber violence reports are rising, showing an urgent need for stronger prevention and safer online spaces.
Related reading
01 · Category
Prevalence and Incidence30 stats
01
In a 2021 Pew Research Center survey of 10,093 U.S. adults, 41% reported experiencing some form of online harassment, including offensive name-calling, sustained unwanted flirting or sexual advances, or harassment by strangers
02
A 2023 UNICEF report indicated that 38% of young people aged 12-18 globally have experienced cyberbullying, with higher rates in low-income countries at 45%
03
According to the 2022 Cyberbullying Research Center survey of 2,000 U.S. middle and high school students, 37% reported being cyberbullied in the past 30 days
04
EU Kids Online 2020 study across 19 European countries found that 23% of 9-17 year olds experienced hurtful or nasty online comments
05
A 2023 Thorn survey of 1,000 U.S. minors aged 9-17 revealed 16% had been approached by strangers online with sexual solicitations leading to cyber violence
06
CDC's 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey showed 16% of U.S. high school students experienced electronic bullying during the past 12 months
07
A 2022 Plan International study in 14 countries found 54% of girls aged 15-25 had faced online harassment or abuse
08
Internet Watch Foundation 2022 annual report documented 275,655 webpages containing child sexual abuse material, a 9% increase from 2021
09
A 2023 Australian eSafety Commissioner report stated that 1 in 5 Australians aged 8-17 experienced cyberbullying in the past year
10
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) received 32 million reports of suspected child sexual exploitation online in 2022, up 12% from prior year
11
A 2021 StopBadware study found 1.5 million phishing attacks targeting social media users monthly, often leading to cyberstalking
12
WHO Europe 2022 report noted 15-20% of adolescents in the region experienced cyberbullying weekly
13
A 2023 UK Safer Internet Centre survey of 2,500 children aged 11-16 found 30% had seen harmful content leading to self-cyber violence
14
FBI's 2022 Internet Crime Report recorded 800,944 cybercrime complaints, with harassment comprising 18%
15
A 2022 Japanese Cabinet Office survey showed 24.4% of high school students experienced cyberbullying
16
In a 2023 GlobalWebIndex report, 28% of internet users worldwide reported receiving unwanted sexual messages online
17
A 2021 Canadian Centre for Child Protection study found 60% of youth experienced some form of online sexual violence
18
South Korean Ministry of Gender Equality 2022 data indicated 11.8% of teens faced cyber violence
19
A 2023 Meta transparency report disclosed removal of 27 million pieces of bullying content on Facebook and Instagram
20
Indian NCRB 2022 crime report noted 1,167 cases of cyberstalking and 5,943 cyberbullying incidents
21
A 2022 Brazilian SaferNet report received 1.2 million reports of online violence against women
22
Russian Safe Internet League 2023 data showed 25% of schoolchildren encountered cyberbullying
23
A 2021 Singapore IMDA survey found 14% of youth aged 10-19 experienced online harms including harassment
24
New Zealand Netsafe 2022 report indicated 1 in 4 young people faced cyberbullying
25
A 2023 South African Media Monitoring Africa study found 41% of girls experienced online gender-based violence
26
Turkish Ministry of Family 2022 data reported 12,500 cyber violence complaints from youth
27
A 2022 Mexican INAI report noted 22% of internet users faced digital violence
28
Philippine NBI 2023 cybercrime stats showed 3,200 cases of online harassment
29
A 2021 Egyptian National Council for Women survey found 52% of women experienced cyber violence
30
Iranian State Welfare Organization 2022 report indicated 18% of teens faced cyberbullying
Interpretation
Prevalence and Incidence Interpretation
The statistics paint a grim, borderless portrait of our digital age: whether you're a student in the U.S., a girl in Brazil, or a teen in Russia, the odds are disturbingly high that the very technology connecting you to the world is also a conduit for harassment, abuse, and violence.
03 · Category
Reporting and Legal Actions28 stats
01
Cyberbullying.org 2022: Only 12% of cyberbullying incidents reported to adults
02
Pew 2021: Just 11% of online harassment victims reported to law enforcement
03
Thorn 2023: 70% of sextortion victims did not tell parents or authorities
04
EU Kids Online 2020: 40% told no one about nasty online experiences
05
CDC 2021: 55% of bullied students never told a trusted adult
06
Plan International 2022: 65% girls feared reporting online abuse due to stigma
07
IWF 2022: 199,777 URLs actioned to remove child abuse content
08
eSafety Australia 2023: 45,000 cyber abuse reports processed, 80% resolved
09
NCMEC 2022: 32 million CyberTipline reports led to 5,000 arrests
10
WHO 2022: Only 20% of cyber violence cases formally reported in schools
11
Safer Internet UK 2023: Helpline received 25,000 contacts, 10% led to police referrals
12
FBI IC3 2022: $10.3 billion losses from cybercrimes including harassment prosecutions
13
Japanese 2022: 1,200 cyberbullying police cases filed, 60% convictions
14
GlobalWebIndex 2023: 15% reported to platforms, 5% to police
15
Cybertip Canada 2021: 50,000 reports, leading to 300 charges
16
Korean 2022: 2,500 cyber violence prosecutions, fines averaging $5,000
17
Meta 2023: 90% proactive detections of child exploitation reports
18
NCRB India 2022: 7,110 cybercrime FIRs, conviction rate 20% for harassment
19
SaferNet Brazil 2022: 1.2 million notifications, 400,000 judicial actions
20
SIL Russia 2023: Blocked 15,000 harmful sites after reports
21
IMDA Singapore 2021: 10,000 complaints, 70% content takedowns
22
Netsafe NZ 2022: 20,000 harm reports, 50% referred to police
23
MMA SA 2023: 5,000 GBV online reports to authorities
24
Turkish Ministry 2022: 12,500 complaints, 8,000 investigations opened
25
INAI Mexico 2022: 15% of digital violence reports led to sanctions
26
NBI Philippines 2023: 3,200 arrests from cybercrime reports
27
NCW Egypt 2021: 2,000 cyber GBV cases prosecuted
28
Iranian 2022: 1,500 cyberbullying cases sentenced
Interpretation
Reporting and Legal Actions Interpretation
Despite massive underreporting and systemic failures in many jurisdictions, these sobering statistics collectively reveal a digital world where victims are silently drowning, while the few brave enough to report become the indispensable triggers for the entire, creaky machine of accountability.
More related reading
04 · Category
Types and Forms29 stats
01
Cyberbullying.org 2022: 46% of cyberbullying involves name-calling or insults
02
Pew 2021: 32% experienced offensive name-calling as primary harassment form
03
Thorn 2023: 32% of minors received explicit images without consent (sextortion form)
04
EU Kids Online 2020: 15% of children faced cyberbullying via exclusion or rumors
05
CDC 2021: 10% of bullied students reported rumors spread online
06
Plan International 2022: 40% of girls faced body-shaming or slut-shaming online
07
IWF 2022: 20% increase in non-photographic child abuse imagery like deepfakes
08
eSafety 2023: Image-based abuse reports up 35%, mostly revenge porn
09
NCMEC 2022: 25 million reports involved sextortion attempts on minors
10
WHO 2022: Cyberstalking via repeated messaging affected 12% of adolescents
11
Safer Internet UK 2023: Doxxing incidents rose 50% among teens
12
FBI IC3 2022: Swatting calls (cyber violence extreme) numbered 1,200
13
Japanese 2022: 60% of cyberbullying was via LINE app messaging harassment
14
GlobalWebIndex 2023: 22% faced doxxing or personal info sharing without consent
15
Cybertip.ca 2021: Grooming leading to sextortion in 35% of cases
16
Korean Ministry 2022: KakaoTalk used in 70% of cyberbullying incidents
17
Meta 2023: 18 million pieces of hate speech/bullying removed, mostly targeted harassment
18
NCRB India 2022: 40% cyberbullying via WhatsApp fake news/profiles
19
SaferNet Brazil 2022: 50% online violence was misogynistic threats
20
SIL Russia 2023: VKontakte 55% platform for school cyberbullying
21
IMDA Singapore 2021: 25% harassment via fake social media accounts
22
Netsafe NZ 2022: Snapchat streaks used for exclusion bullying in 30%
23
MMA SA 2023: Twitter/X rape threats 60% of GBV forms
24
Turkish 2022: Instagram stalking comments 45% of cases
25
INAI Mexico 2022: 35% deepfake porn as emerging image abuse
26
NBI Philippines 2023: Facebook 80% platform for cyber libel/harassment
27
NCW Egypt 2021: WhatsApp mass shaming groups 50% incidents
28
Iranian 2022: Telegram channels for doxxing 40%
29
Pew 2021: 25% of victims experienced purposeful embarrassment via photos/videos
Interpretation
Types and Forms Interpretation
It seems our digital public square has perfected the art of the ancient schoolyard taunt, now weaponized across apps and continents into a global, 24-hour gauntlet of name-calling, exclusion, and image-based terror that follows kids home and haunts their pockets.
05 · Category
Victim Demographics29 stats
01
In the 2021 Pew survey, 41% of women vs 30% of men experienced online harassment
02
Cyberbullying Research Center 2022 data showed girls aged 13-15 are 1.5 times more likely to be cyberbullied than boys
03
Thorn 2023 report found 19% of LGBTQ+ minors vs 13% of straight minors experienced online sexual extortion
04
EU Kids Online 2020: 29% of girls vs 18% of boys aged 9-17 received sexual messages online
05
CDC 2021 YRBS: Female high school students 20% vs males 13% experienced electronic bullying
06
Plan International 2022: Adolescent girls in Asia-Pacific 62% faced online abuse vs 45% boys
07
IWF 2022: 80% of child sexual abuse imagery victims identified as girls under 10
08
eSafety Australia 2023: Indigenous youth 25% more likely to experience cyberbullying
09
NCMEC 2022: 90% of reported child victims in online exploitation were under 15 years old
10
WHO Europe 2022: LGBTQ+ youth 2x more likely to experience cyberbullying than peers
11
UK Safer Internet 2023: Disabled children 35% vs 22% non-disabled faced online harm
12
FBI IC3 2022: Women filed 55% of online harassment complaints
13
Japanese Cabinet 2022: Middle school girls 28.5% cyberbullied vs boys 20.2%
14
GlobalWebIndex 2023: Users aged 16-24 35% experienced harassment vs 20% over 55
15
Canadian Cybertip 2021: 70% of sexually exploited youth online were female
16
South Korean 2022: High school girls 15.2% cyber violence victims vs boys 8.4%
17
Meta 2023: Removed content targeting teens, with 60% affecting females
18
Indian NCRB 2022: 65% of cyberstalking victims were women aged 18-30
19
Brazilian SaferNet 2022: 75% of online violence reports from women aged 18-35
20
Russian SIL 2023: Girls 28% cyberbullying victims vs boys 22%
21
Singapore IMDA 2021: LGBTQ+ youth 22% vs 11% others experienced harassment
22
Netsafe NZ 2022: Maori youth 30% vs 20% Pakeha faced cyberbullying
23
South African MMA 2023: Black girls 45% experienced online GBV
24
Turkish Ministry 2022: University women 40% cyber violence targets
25
Mexican INAI 2022: Women 60% of digital violence complainants aged 25-40
26
Philippine NBI 2023: 55% female minors in cybercrime victims
27
Egyptian NCW 2021: Rural women 55% vs urban 48% cyber victims
28
Iranian Welfare 2022: Girls aged 12-15 20% cyberbullying rate
29
Pew 2021: Young adults 18-29 at 45% online harassment rate vs 25% 50+
Interpretation
Victim Demographics Interpretation
The numbers paint a stark and maddening truth: from childhood onward, online violence systematically targets the vulnerable, with women, girls, and LGBTQ+ youth disproportionately bearing the brunt of a digital world that is hostile by design.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Henrik Dahl. (2026, February 13). Cyber Violence Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/cyber-violence-statistics
MLA
Henrik Dahl. "Cyber Violence Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/cyber-violence-statistics.
Chicago
Henrik Dahl. 2026. "Cyber Violence Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/cyber-violence-statistics.
Sources & references
30 datasets cited across this report