When Broken Hearts are on the Mend, Fingers do the Talking: An Exploration of the Role That Peer and Intimate Partner Relationships has on Cyberbullying and Cybervictimization Among Caribbean Nationals

• In Event: Victimization over the Life Course: Longitudinal Consequences of Bullying and Adverse Experiences

Abstract

Cyberbullying is “a way of being cruel to others by sending or posting harmful material or engaging in other forms of social aggression using the internet or other digital technologies” (Willard, 2007). This phenomenon has existed for years and continues to advance based on the dynamism of technology but the underlying causes have been difficult to determine. While cyberbullying has been studied from a plethora of angles, including the psychological effects, the role of peer and intimate partner relationships has been tangential. This research study, pivoted on the tenets of the social bond theory investigates the influence that peer and intimate partner relationships has on cyberbullying and cybervictimization among university students in Trinidad and Tobago. A qualitative method of data collection was used and the data was analysed using thematic analysis. The results indicate that for the majority of participants, fissures in relationships were the main cause for both perpetration and victimization. These results contradict the notion that strong social bonds deter persons from engaging in deviant acts.

Author

• Chantelle Amanda Cummings, The University of Trinidad and Tobago