http://wjss.sciedupress.com World Journal of Social Science Vol. 8, No. 1; 2021 Published by Sciedu Press 104 ISSN 2329-9347 E-ISSN 2329-9355 Cyber Child Abuse in Bangladesh: A Rural Population-Based Study Leuza Mubassara 1 , Muhammad Ibrahim Ibne Towhid 2 , Sarmin Sultana 1,* , Asibul Islam Anik 1 , Marium Salwa 1 , Md. Maruf Haque Khan 1 & M Atiqul Haque 1 1 Department of Public Health and Informatics, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh 2 Center for Language Studies, University of Liberal Arts, Bangladesh *Correspondence: Department of Public Health and Informatics, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh. E-mail: sarmindoc@gmail.com Received: November 21, 2020 Accepted: January 19, 2020 Online Published: January 20, 2021 doi:10.5430/wjss.v8n1p104 URL: https://doi.org/10.5430/wjss.v8n1p104 Abstract Background: Cyber abuse has become common among children worldwide; however, it is yet to receive attention in Bangladesh. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated risk factors of cyber child abuse in the context of Bangladesh. Methods: This population-based study was conducted on 460 children aged between 11 to 17 years recruited from a selected rural area of Bangladesh by simple random sampling. A cyber abuse scale was developed to measure the prevalence of cyber child abuse. Data were collected with a semi-structured questionnaire through face-to-face interviews. Results: Around 33 percent of children were internet users. The prevalence of at least one, two, and three form(s) of cyber abuses was 59 percent, 38 percent, and 26 percent, respectively, among the internet users. The commonly reported abuses were being subjected to bullying, mockery, rumor, or humiliation (36%), contacted anonymously with ill motive (29%), receiving sexually explicit message or comment (21%), and receiving sexually explicit picture or video (17%). Male children were victimized more by different forms of cyber abuse. Logistic regression analysis showed that children whose internet using periods are more and who have higher knowledge about cyber abuse are more likely to be victimized with cyber abuse. Conclusion: Cyber child abuse is a prevalent yet less explored public health threat in Bangladesh. Raising awareness against cyber abuse, educating children on prevention strategies, and imposing strict laws might help Bangladesh line up with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child that the country signed in 1990. Keywords: cyber abuse, children, prevalence, risk factors, Bangladesh 1. Introduction The rapid growth of information and communication technologies (ICT) such as the internet and mobile phones during the last two decades has changed individuals', particularly young people's social interactions, learning strategies, and choice of entertainment (Mishna et al., 2009). According to the Global Digital Report (2020), 60 percent of the world population is connected to the internet, and approximately one in three children are regular internet users (United Nations Children's Fund [Unicef], 2017). Apart from its everyday uses in communication, education and entertainment, the internet concurrently serves as a potential platform for cyber abuse where children are more vulnerable to sexual and psychological abuse (Doornwaard et al., 2017). Cyber abuse is an extension of the traditional form of abuse in internet platforms, where perpetrators can hide behind the screen, and it includes cyberbullying, cyberstalking, phishing, cyber sexual abuse, and hacking (Mishna, Cook, Saini, Wu, & Macfadden, 2014). It can be defined as a willful and repetitive act of aggression via electronic communication devices which has adverse psychological consequences like depressive disorder, anxiety, low self-esteem, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, self-injury, and suicidal ideation (Samara et al., 2017; Çetin, Yaman and Peker, 2011). Empirical studies worldwide revealed the prevalence of cyber abuse ranging from 10 to 35 percent (Agatston et al.,