HealthJuly 16, 2026

cybervictimisation

/ˌsaɪbərvɪktɪmaɪˈzeɪʃən/

Definition

The act or process of being targeted, harassed, or mistreated by others within an online or digital environment.

Etymology

A hybrid term combining the Greek-derived prefix 'cyber-' (relating to computers or the internet) with the Latin-based 'victim' and the suffix '-isation', which creates a noun describing a state or process.

In the news

The author uses this term to acknowledge that online abuse is harmful while arguing that it is often inseparable from offline bullying and should not be the sole focus of youth safety policy.

The social media ban sceptic: are we getting it wrong on kids, tech and mental health?

Read the full article ↗

The Guardian

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