What Parents Need to Know About Harassment Among Teen Gamers
By Movieguide® Contributor
A new study from Statista revealed the level of harassment that teen gamers face and how each gender experiences different challenges.
Forty-one percent of all teen gamers have been called an offensive name, representing the highest form of harassment faced. For boys, this experience was more likely (48%) while girls were less likely to experience name-calling (32%). Twelve percent of all teens have been physically threatened while gaming. Again, boys experienced this more often (15%) than girls (9%). Girls, however, were more likely to experience an unwanted sexual experience (10%) than boys (7%).
While gaming is often seen as a new frontier for teens and a place where many of them spend time with friends, this study reveals the ugly side of this pastime. Teens, however, are largely aware of these experiences and choose to endure them to reap the benefits.
READ MORE: NEW STUDY REVEALS HOW TEENAGERS VIEW VIDEO GAMES
“More than half of teens have made new friends online, and a third of them (36%) say they met their new friend or friends while playing video games. Among boys who have made friends online, 57% have done so by playing video games online (compared with just 13% of girls who have done so),” Pew previously reported.
“Most teens said they play video games for fun or ‘entertainment reasons,’ with around three-quarters saying they play to spend time with others,” added CBS News.
However, beyond harassment, video games have been shown to have numerous negative impacts on the teens who play them. Forty-one percent of teens, for example, reported video games negatively impacting their sleep schedule. Furthermore, a majority of teens regularly play violent video games, which could have an impact on anger control in everyday life.
Overall, parents should be aware of the video games their children are playing and have frequent conversations with them about anything upsetting that may have happened recently to ensure their kids have a chance to share if they experience any harassment.
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