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How to Deal with Abuse Online

  1. Advice
  2. How to Deal with Abuse Online

Online abuse, just like any type of abuse, can be extremely distressing to experience or witness. If you have been the victim of abuse online and are looking for help and advice, then you have come to the right place.

Firstly, let’s cover the basics: what exactly is internet abuse and what constitutes abuse online?

Online abuse is a broad term that covers any type of abuse that happens on the internet. It can happen over email, through messaging apps (such as WhatsApp and Snapchat), on social networking sites (such as Facebook and Instagram) and on online gaming platforms (such as Xbox and Roblox). Many different types of online abuse exist including cyberbullying, sexual harassment, grooming and intimate image abuse.

If you have been the victim of any of these types of abuse, you may be asking yourself questions such as: how do I deal with online abuse and prevent it from happening again? Can I report abuse online? And, if so, what happens when I report? We are here to answer these questions and help you move on.

Firstly, if you are struggling with the effects of online abuse, there are places you can go for help and support. Abuse is not tolerated on commonly used social networking sites and can also be reported directly to these platforms. All abuse reports made to social media sites should be taken seriously and will be kept anonymous.

Remember, if you are in immediate danger or have a safeguarding concern, you should contact the police.

Find out how to report online abuse to commonly used social networking sites below:

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