A new survey by CBS of students in the Caribbean Netherlands has revealed significant differences in bullying rates between islands and genders, with girls experiencing higher rates of harassment than boys, particularly on Bonaire and Saba.

Key Findings

The 2024 Caribbean Netherlands Student Survey, conducted as part of the National Youth Monitor, found that bullying rates varied considerably across the three islands:

• Saba: 24% of students under 18 reported being bullied in the past year
• Bonaire: 22% of students experienced bullying
• St. Eustatius: 14% reported being bullied

The survey focused on students in secondary education and secondary vocational education (MBO).

Gender Disparities Most Pronounced on Saba and Bonaire

Girls faced significantly higher bullying rates than boys across all islands, with the largest gaps on Saba and Bonaire:

• Saba: 31% of girls vs. 17% of boys
• Bonaire: 26% of girls vs. 18% of boys
• St. Eustatius: 16% of girls vs. 12% of boys

Bullying predominantly occurred offline, manifesting as gossip on Saba and Bonaire, and verbal abuse on St. Eustatius.

Impact on Well-being

Students who experienced bullying reported lower happiness and life satisfaction scores on a 1-10 scale compared to their non-bullied peers. The impact was most severe on St. Eustatius and Bonaire:

Bonaire: Bullied students scored 6.9 for happiness and 6.8 for life satisfaction, compared to 7.8 and 7.7 for non-bullied students.

St. Eustatius: Bullied students gave scores of 5.7 and 5.9, while non-bullied peers scored 7.5 and 7.2.

Notably, Saba showed minimal differences in well-being scores between bullied and non-bullied students.

Support Systems Vary by Island

The survey also examined students’ access to trusted confidants for personal issues:

• Bonaire: 69% could talk to someone they trust
• Saba: 57% had access to trusted support
• St. Eustatius: 54% could confide in someone

Across all islands, students who experienced bullying were less likely to have someone to talk to about personal problems, highlighting the compounding effect of harassment on social support networks.

CBS