Twenty-six per cent of Cambodian internet users aged between 15 and 65 years have experienced online harassment while using social media platforms, says a report released by Sri Lanka-based information and communications technology policy think tank LIRNEasia.

According to the report, the term “online harassment” includes five different types – being called offensive names, purposefully embarrassed or criticised in some way, physically threatened, sexually harassed and approached repeatedly by unwanted contacts.

LIRNEasia said 2,100 households and individuals from 100 villages in 25 provinces in Cambodia were surveyed from September to October last year.

The sampling methodology was designed to ensure the representation of the target group at a national level with a 95 per cent confidence interval. The survey has a 3.3 per cent margin of error.

Its CEO Helani Galpaya told reporters on Wednesday that 26 per cent of Cambodian internet users experiencing online harassment was cause for concern.

She added that the issue must be addressed with relevant stakeholders, particularly the sector’s regulators, in order to boost awareness on effective methods of safeguarding internet use.

The report also shows online harassment was higher among women at 29 per cent, versus 23 per cent for men in Cambodia.

Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications secretary of state Kan Chanmetta said on Wednesday: “The finding could be used as our basis, our benchmark, for future use in our policy-making.”