London - Nearly two-thirds of teenage girls have experienced bullying, a survey has found.
A total of 63 percent have been victimised online, by text or to their face, compared to 48 percent of boys.
The study shows that nearly half of girls – 46 percent – think they are too fat, twice as many as boys. The findings will add to concerns that girls are becoming increasingly obsessed about their body image.
The survey of 120 000 girls and boys aged 15 shows that children from middle class backgrounds are more likely to drink than those from poorer families.
About 70 percent said they had tried alcohol at least once, compared to 50 percent of those from poorer households. Experts said middle class parents tended to let teenagers have wine at home on the assumption it was “safe” and the “right thing to do.”
The Health and Social Care Information Centre poll found that 19 percent of girls were not satisfied with their lives compared to nine percent of boys.
Lucie Russell, of charity Young Minds, said: “These figures are yet further evidence of the pressure cooker environment children and young people are growing up in, and in particular the pernicious effect the online world has in affecting their self-esteem when they are exposed to cyber bullying or negative body images.”
Daily Mail