96% of professional gamers faced online bullying in last 12 months

New Delhi, NT Bureau: A recent study revealed that 96 percent of professional gamers have experienced cyberbullying in the last 12 months.

The study, published in the journal Entertainment Computing, highlighted that women in professional gaming are particularly vulnerable, with 16% of esports competitors and content creators facing cyberbullying and sexual harassment.

“There was a definite link between the level of professional gaming and the incidence of cyberbullying, and sexual harassment for women players,” said Louise Trudgett-Klose, psychology PhD candidate at the University of South Australia (UniSA).

“The more professional a player becomes, the more they are exposed to hostile behaviour, which affects their health,” she added.

The study surveyed 145 video game players from 14 countries and found that about 49% of bullying came from co-workers (other players) and the other half from the public.

Cyberbullying involves name-calling, derogatory comments, exclusion of specific players and restricting access, verbal threats and manipulative tactics, whereas sexual harassment includes explicit messages and images including unwanted sexual comments.