A study in Türkiye indicates that peer bullying persists into higher education, shifting from physical aggression to psychological abuse.
Research from Kastamonu University, conducted by Tunay Kamer and his team, indicates a high prevalence of campus bullying, with 80 percent of Ankara-based students reporting at least one incident.
The most common forms included social exclusion, academic harassment, psychological pressure and bullying disguised as humor. Some 57 percent reported deliberate isolation from peer groups, while 31 percent experienced academic bullying.
Among victims, 31 percent said they cried and 23 percent reported fear, yet only 20 percent took formal action.
Kamer noted that behaviors such as exclusion and systematic belittlement erode self-esteem and belonging, with long-term psychological effects.
The study also found declining academic performance and increased withdrawal from education among affected students.
