By Valeria Pramatarova

Beautiful, but not provocative. Smart, but not arrogant. Active, but unattainable. In the era of TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, social media has become a space where young girls and women build not only friendships but also their identities.

Instead of the freedom to express themselves, they increasingly find themselves trapped, as all the attention they receive seems dependent on their looks, behavior and how well they conform to the “rules” girls should follow.

We’re not talking about old-school online bullying, featuring direct insults or aggressive messages. This is far more subtle but constant—comments, reactions and viral trends forcing girls to fit a specific mold while trying to meet impossible standards.

You earn likes and respect by “looking good”

Julia Strandzhalieva, 18 years old, uses Instagram and YouTube every day. For her, they’re a source of inspiration and ideas, but there are hidden pressures, too.

“Pressure I put on myself? No. Pressure others put on me? Yes. We’re all exposed to this fantasy of ​​beauty, and when they see that you don’t match up, they start focusing on things you never paid any attention to or thought you should worry about,” she tells sCOOL Media.

Julia rarely uploads her photos on social media to avoid unnecessary comments.

“When you get tons of positive comments, that you’re the most beautiful girl in the world, even just one saying there’s something wrong with your face ruins it. You stop believing the positive ones,” she says.

18-year-old Tsvetelina Palova, who spends her time mainly on Instagram and TikTok, shares a similar experience.

“I’ve had to delete a post, but it never mattered to me what people were saying about it. I’m more concerned with the way people will do anything they can to not look like themselves in order to avoid getting hate,” she tells sCOOL Media.

Tsvetelina is also critical of some influencers she believes are not very good role models for children:

“From Andy Studio [popular Bulgarian YouTube comedians] to Lilly Anachkova [a Bulgarian influencer known for her TikTok content], they create model behaviors that can be confusing for children,” says Tsvetelina.

Following the trends

On TikTok and Instagram, new viral trends are born almost every day, which at first glance may seem harmless, but they often deliver messages that shape unrealistic expectations for girls.

One of the most popular is “That Girl”—the image of a girl who gets up early, works out every day, eats healthy, looks flawless and lives in an orderly aesthetic environment. This model is an inspiration for some, but for others it turns into a source of pressure and shame, a feeling that they’re not good enough.

Beauty filters have a similar effect, artificially smoothing the skin and even changing the facial structure. Their daily use has led to some girls starting to believe that they’re supposed to look like these filtered versions of themselves.

Other popular trends like the “Pick Me Girl” or “Vs. All Girls” mockingly pit girls against each other, leaving them no room to fit in. For example, these videos might claim that if you look natural, you’re “messy”, but if you wear makeup, you’re “hungry for attention”.

In the Bulgarian context, such messages are often found in TikTok videos that present the “ideal girl” and get thousands of views. Comments like “you’re so dumb,” “you’re doing it for attention” or “you’re too easy” appear in the comments whenever girls dare to express their opinions. In this way, social media is gradually normalizing stereotypes and making individuality an exception to the rule.

The effect on young girls

International and Bulgarian research shows that social media has a direct impact on teenagers’ self-esteem, and girls are particularly vulnerable.

According to 2025 data from a Pew Research Center study, almost half of teenagers in the United States admit to feeling significant or moderate pressure to look good online.

Girls are the ones who more often indicate that social media undermines their confidence and makes them compare themselves to unrealistic standards.

A 2021 global study called the Dove Self-Esteem Project similarly demonstrates that one in two girls across the world feels worse after comparing herself with content seen on the Internet.

The trends in Bulgaria are no different. The National Center for Safe Internet reports that over 46,000 reports of harmful online content were filed in 2023 alone, almost double from the previous year.

In studies by organizations such as the Bulgarian Safer Internet Center and the Roditeli [Parents’] Association, between 25 and 30% of teenagers admit to having been the target of online ridicule and insults, and girls are significantly more likely to delete photos and posts due to fear of negative reactions. The numbers show that the online environment is more than just a place to communicate: it shapes young people’s ideas about their appearance, “acceptable” behavior and personal worth.

Julia is adamant that the pressure is not felt immediately. “It’s not right in the moment when you look at something that you think you’re ugly. It happens slowly. Subconsciously,” she says. We could call this process the “invisible side” of online bullying.

The inherent messaging and standards being imposed have the appearance of normalcy. But they leave the deepest marks on girls’ confidence and self-image. They start self-censoring, asking themselves if they’re pretty enough, if they’re saying too much, if they’re showing too much. This leads to internal conflict and low self-esteem.

Voices against online bullying

Some people are speaking out about the problem. Influencer Isabel Ovcharova is among the most visible young people in Bulgaria who uses social media to speak out against online hate and bullying of girls. In her videos, books and podcast, she has often touched on topics such as self-esteem, mental health and the dangers of unrealistic beauty standards.

She shares a clear message: authenticity is more important than filtered images, and the freedom to be yourself should not be sacrificed for the sake of likes and followers. Such messages resonate strongly with young girls who feel the pressure of social media on a daily basis and are looking for role models beyond toxic trends.

The Safer Internet Center plays a significant role in the fight against online bullying. It offers consultations, trainings and campaigns for parents, teachers and students, as well as initiatives like Cyber ​​Scout — a program in which students are trained to respond to online risks, involving young people in creating a healthier digital environment for themselves.

In parallel, a number of other people and organizations in Bulgaria, from artists and journalists to UNICEF campaigns such as “Beyond Smiles”, are striving to lend visibility to the problem and encourage solutions from broader society. This is how a common front is being built up to confront the culture of hate and the implicit pressure that girls are subjected to online.

Can things change?

Despite the difficulties and pressure, Julia and Tsvetelina believe that things can change. “Not by imposing the same model on everyone. By introducing trends that support diversity,” says Julia.

“Everyone should be free to do what they want,” adds Tsvetelina.

Changing the online environment is a hard but achievable task if efforts are made by the platforms, institutions and users themselves.

On the one hand, social networks can introduce stricter algorithms to limit hate speech and promote content that supports diversity and individuality. On the other hand, schools and parents also have a key role to play. By talking about digital culture, media literacy and critical thinking, they can give young people the tools to deal with online pressure.

The most important success factor will be young people themselves. Social media can be a place where pressure and comparison reign, but it can also be a space for support, solidarity and courage. When more girls and boys choose to share authentic stories and support rather than attack one another, a culture will develop where respect does not depend on appearance or likes but simply on the personality behind the screen.

Funded under the project “Youth Against Disinformation” of the OPEN SPACE Foundation (OSF), implemented in partnership with the Association of European Journalists in Bulgaria (AEJ-Bulgaria), with the support of the British Council in Bulgaria. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of OSF, AEJ-Bulgaria, or the British Council in Bulgaria. Neither OSF, AEJ-Bulgaria, nor the British Council in Bulgaria can be held responsible for them.

By Dilyana Stoyanova

“My phone vibrates. I don’t know what to expect from the next message: insults, threats, blackmail… I’d rather not look. I don’t have the strength.”

Elena* is one of the many women who have come face to face with the dark side of the Internet. It usually all starts in real life — and with a picture. Taken in seconds, forwarded in just as many seconds and haunting her for months. Elena’s former intimate partner used a photo of her as a kind of revenge post after she broke up with him. The image wound up on Telegram, where it has been the subject of obscene comments. Elena learned about what was happening from an acquaintance.

Unfortunately, such cases are not unprecedented; quite a few Telegram groups function precisely for the purpose of publicly humiliating women and distributing sexual content.

“I felt not only betrayed and abused but also threatened. He knew who I was, where I lived, what I was doing… I was afraid to go to work or leave the house. I thought everyone had seen that photo and would recognize me.”

Elena never gathered the strength to file a report with the Bulgarian police or the General Directorate Combatting Organized Crime. Today, she has to visit a psychologist, which is not a service covered by the Health Insurance Fund.

The invisible hate behind the screen

Online harassment is one of the most invisible yet widespread forms of violence. In Bulgaria, it affects not only public figures but also ordinary users caught in the crosshairs of group hate. Women happen to be one of the most vulnerable groups in digital spaces. Just like Elena.

One in ten women in the European Union has been subjected to online harassment, according to a study by the European Union Agency from 2014. And despite the increasing use of social networks and the lower age limit of users, we lack new data on the current picture. However, there is clearly a problem. Ten years after this study, in 2024, the European Parliament adopted the first-ever EU rules to combat violence against women. With this, European legislation puts a clear focus on cyberviolence — one of the fastest growing risks in the digital age. The new rules oblige member states to criminalize forms of online harassment such as cyberstalking, cyberbullying, online sexual harassment and the nonconsensual distribution of intimate images. Beyond prosecuting perpetrators more severely, it also aims to support victims more effectively through specialized services and clear protection mechanisms. Although the directive sets a clear European standard, there remains a risk that Bulgaria will fall behind in its implementation. Our country already has a history of delays in transposing important European directives, especially in the field of digital security and personal data protection. The lack of sufficient resources, the slow legislative procedure and weak coordination between institutions may lead to measures against cyberviolence being introduced only formally and with a delay. This means that while victims of online harassment will receive faster and more effective protection in other countries, in Bulgaria we risk being left with promises “on paper” for a long time.

On the front lines

In the absence of sufficiently responsive institutional mechanisms, more and more people in Bulgaria are finding support in Facebook groups for mutual aid.

The largest active online community offering help and advice to victims of domestic violence is “You Are Not Alone — together against gender-based violence”. It was born in 2018, as a natural continuation of a campaign by the website Girls from the City in connection with the government’s refusal to ratify the Istanbul Convention. The group is supported by the Wake Up Foundation.

“The group has become more than a place where people can vent their pain. It’s also a digital hotline for mutual aid,” says Levena Lazarova, managing director and the woman behind the initiative, in a special interview. It has over 10,000 members who publish their personal stories, which are often painful to read, daily. Administrators (volunteers) are responsible for caring for the group’s members, staying on duty so that there is always someone available to give fast, timely and up-to-date information about emergency centers, legal aid, protection, etc. The volunteers themselves also receive the necessary psychological support to assist others as adequately as possible.

On the other side of the barricade

Although the group is set to secret mode, the administrators say that they are constantly working to maintain its security. The group often finds itself “surveilled” by people standing on the other side of the barricade, most often men with restraining orders, partners in domestic violence cases, etc. How do they behave in the group? It’s like the reality show Traitors. The people in question often try to join through fake profiles or by impersonating someone else. Their online presence is easily recognizable — they get aggressive in the comments section and violate the group’s rules, some of them even making threats to moderators and administrators.

Violence by the numbers

A survey was conducted among the group members on the needs and attitudes of victims of domestic violence and their children, entitled “Hear My Voice”. 94% of the participants were women, and 6% were men. Although the survey is not representative, it clearly outlines the profile of those most affected and also reminds us that domestic violence also affects men — albeit on a significantly smaller scale. The largest group of victims are between the ages of 25 and 46, a common time for growing families and raising children, which increases vulnerability even further.

The survey additionally reveals how actively support is being sought online. 75% of members participate in discussions, with each post collecting an average of 12 comments and 49 reactions. Behind these numbers are real stories of fear, of reaching out for help and of the need for understanding. The administrators of this group from the Wake Up Foundation log in an average of 20 times a day to respond to reports, refer members to services or simply listen.

All this clearly shows that domestic violence doesn’t only happen in isolated cases or “out there” somewhere — it is a problem all around us. Online groups become the first line of defense when institutions fail to react quickly enough or people are not certain about what to do in a crisis.

The Internet as a refuge

Another extremely active Facebook community is “Safe Relationships”. It has over 20 thousand members who post personal stories every day. The group has its fair share of humorous stories and “memes”, but the main focus is precisely to create a safe online and offline space for everyone. “Young women often seek advice in their first serious relationships, while more mature ones struggle with issues around divorce, infidelity or complex family situations,” says Alex Vangelov, administrator and activist. He has observed a certain trend in the manifestations of online violence.

“For young women, harassment often focuses on their appearance and conforming to beauty standards. Their sexual behavior is also targeted, being labeled ‘too easy’ or ‘too conservative’. With older women, I see harassment taking the form of attacks for expressing their opinions on social or political issues, as well as the devaluing of their professional experience with comments like ‘just another hysterical feminist’. Choices regarding motherhood or marriage are also judged,” says Vangelov.

He has noticed that young women have a harder time setting boundaries online, while older women sometimes underestimate the impact of digital harassment. Therefore, he says, both groups need different strategies for protection.

The activism of the group participants reveals that many women are not just suffering from domestic violence — they also carry with them the feeling that they can’t talk about it because they’ll be accused of being “crazy” or even “guilty” for having those feelings. This group is a digital bridge between fear and support, between isolation and community. Those who arrive scared and disillusioned often find strength when they realize they’re not alone and that their reactions are normal. When online threats turn into offline danger, that inner voice and community become crucial for women to find protection and safety.

Vangelov says that the biggest change he’s noticed is in women’s confidence: “They come scared, doubting themselves, thinking they’re ‘crazy’ for what they’re feeling. And when they see that other women, and men, have experienced the same thing, they literally turn around. They realize that their reaction is normal and that they are not alone.” The main challenge is to prevent the group from becoming an “echo chamber” against men in general. And administrators must also be careful to maintain balance, says Alex Vangelov.

Internet therapy

In the modern digital age, online spaces are starting to play an increasingly important role not just for communication and information but also for psychological support. Internet therapy and online support groups are becoming an important resource for women facing violence or harassment — ​​a place where they can share their experiences and receive emotional support. Of course, online help cannot replace the real work of professional therapy, but it provides perspective, comfort and a sense of community, all of which are sometimes the first step towards recovery.

The world online isn’t so different from the world offline. They don’t exist separately but are one connected space that we all inhabit. Threats on the Internet often escalate into physical violence, and what is experienced in reality can continue into cyberviolence. Therefore, efforts to protect women cannot be limited to just one sphere. A holistic understanding and synchronized mechanisms are needed to guarantee security and support both online and offline.

With the advent of artificial intelligence, new risks are emerging — disinformation, fake profiles, automated distribution of intimate images. In this context, the role of groups like “You Are Not Alone” and “Safe Relationships” becomes even more significant. Believing in community and mutual support, women find a way to turn fear into strength and anger into motivation for change. At the end of the day, small but important victories remain — a woman who smiles again, sharing her experiences and realizing that she isn’t alone. This shows that the fight against cyberviolence is not just an individual issue, but a common cause that requires solidarity, education and active protection for all who are vulnerable in digital spaces. Because every educational initiative and every protected woman brings us closer to the moment when the online environment can be safe. For you, for me, for Elena. For everyone.

*Names have been changed to protect anonymity.

Funded under the project “Youth Against Disinformation” of the OPEN SPACE Foundation (OSF), implemented in partnership with the Association of European Journalists in Bulgaria (AEJ-Bulgaria), with the support of the British Council in Bulgaria. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of OSF, AEJ-Bulgaria, or the British Council in Bulgaria. Neither OSF, AEJ-Bulgaria, nor the British Council in Bulgaria can be held responsible for them.

By Kornelia Tomaszevich and Krasimira Yosifova

Recent reports have sent shockwaves throughout Bulgarian society: dozens of cases of women filmed without their consent during cosmetic procedures, or even medical examinations, with the recordings later appearing online. However, another form of online abuse—one that affects minors—has also been on the rise for years.

Intimate footage captured during sexual relations between teenagers often ends up on websites and groups for sharing pornographic content. Most commonly, this is done as revenge after a relationship ends. In some cases, one party—usually a male partner—uses the material to blackmail the other into resuming the relationship, threatening to release the recordings if they refuse.

The Bulgarian Safer Internet Center reported that in 2025, its hotline for reporting sexual harassment and pornographic content processed over 3.5 million cases.

Online bullying and sexual exploitation remain the most prevalent digital threats to Bulgarian children, occurring on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Discord, Facebook, Messenger, and Viber.

Girls between the ages of 13 and 16 are the most affected, particularly by threats to share intimate photos or videos or release compromising computer-generated images, or through contact with adults via gaming platforms.

How do girls experience this kind of violence?

Let’s hear their voices. Names have been changed to protect privacy.

Nataliya, 18 years old

“I met this boy on an app called Yubo. Yubo is generally used by younger people to chat and interact online, especially since, after COVID, it feels like everyone became somewhat antisocial in real life. I first tried the app when I was 13 or 14 years old.

I met a boy who was about 18. We exchanged Snapchats and started chatting casually. 

Over time, he began asking me for pictures, and, not knowing better at the time, I sent them whenever he requested.

He made me feel like I was a bad person if I didn’t send him pictures, and he told me I should get provocative piercings that were sexual, like nipple piercings, for example. It made me feel extremely uncomfortable, but because I was single and young at 14, I kept him around because I wasn’t used to getting attention.

This happened constantly, and he would always tell me when he was in the mood for sex, which was every day. From what I remember, I eventually started to resist and refused to send him pictures because I felt so dirty and insecure. Then, out of nowhere, he blocked me and kept all of my private photos.

This destroyed me, because since he was a random person online, I had no idea what he could do with those pictures. I started to panic and tried to find someone he had mentioned, like his mother, who he said ran a cooking channel.

I tried to find her, and luckily I did, but as I was writing her a message on Instagram, fear took over, and I didn’t send it. I was terrified that it might anger him, and he could share the pictures or even find my parents’ profiles and send them the images.

Now I regret that so much, because I shouldn’t have blamed myself—I should have blamed him. I blamed myself for a terribly long time after this happened, and it made me see boys in a completely different light and develop distrust because I had never experienced anything like this before. I just felt so used and guilty in front of my mother for sending my body to boys who asked for it.

Unfortunately, I told no one. I was extremely ashamed and deeply regret not sharing it with anyone, especially my mother, because I believe that back then everything could have been resolved with a report or complaint. The age difference was also predatory and completely wrong, but at the time, I didn’t dwell on it. Now I just wish I had reported him and received some reassurance that I wasn’t dirty or immoral.”

Maya, 19 years old

“I was 18 when I met him. We got to know each other through a dating platform, and we actually met in person afterwards, but everything was very new to me. We were in a ‘situationship’ that was long-distance. We weren’t officially a couple. We were fully engaged in texting each other and very open about everything. When we ‘sexted’, it was almost like having a physical relationship—something we were missing while being apart in our long-distance relationship. 

It was difficult for us to maintain an honest and sincere relationship while we were far from each other, so we found ways to fill the void we both felt when we were apart. Things became more serious for us, and we began sending intimate messages to each other, and while doing so, we started longing for each other even more. 

I wasn’t the only one sending nude pictures; he did too, which was normal in our situation. I sent him two nude photos because he really wanted me to. He relied on me to share that part of myself through our sexual conversations. It didn’t feel like he was pressuring me. Looking back now, I know I was being manipulated in some way, though I don’t know if it was intentional. I hope it wasn’t. I trust that it wasn’t, but still… 

At first, I said no because I wasn’t comfortable sending pictures, knowing that phones keep records of everything, but after a while, when he didn’t push me so much, I sent them willingly. Of course, there had been some kind of insisting before that.

He said that after I sent the first photos—which were actually two different pictures—there was no need to send any more, because the first time he would see me naked would be in person. That was more of a promise, of course, which was eventually broken, but it gave me reassurance at the time and says a lot about the person I shared the photos with.

He made it clear that if I didn’t feel comfortable sending photos, I didn’t have to.

When I did send them, I used WhatsApp’s ‘view once’ option so he couldn’t see them again. Only after a few times, when he insisted, did I allow them to be saved to his gallery. I didn’t send any other photos that could be viewed more than once.

In total, I sent only two photos that he could see multiple times. People can still use other devices like phones or tablets to take screenshots, but for me, this felt like the safest option on WhatsApp, even though we also communicated via Instagram.

He never pressured me physically, but he did say he wanted to touch my body and do intimate things. These are things that can happen in a relationship, and I wanted it too.

I wanted us both to feel closer than we were, so at first I said no but later changed my mind when he stopped pressuring me. I wanted it to be my choice, not his.

We were in love, and that was all that mattered. There wasn’t anything else to do, and that’s what we decided on.

It was a relief that I didn’t show my face in any of the photos. After we stopped communicating and everything ended, I thought about the possibility of the photos being leaked—but since my face wasn’t visible in any of them, that was at least a small comfort.

Looking back, I’m not sure I would do it again. But…  love can blind you, and it really changes your perspective on life. It can make you do questionable things, and I don’t know…  it’s really complicated.”

Maya gave some advice to other young girls who might be in a similar situation: “Trust in the moment doesn’t guarantee the relationship will stay the same in the future. Think objectively, not through the lens of ‘this person will be your one and only’. Consider the potential consequences. Ask yourself: what would happen if the photos were leaked? Or if someone tried to blackmail you with them? This could affect your career and personal life. Trust should be real, not just wished for.

It’s important to recognize the difference between genuine closeness and manipulation. Think carefully, take your time, and seek advice. If you can, talk to someone you trust—it helps you see the situation more clearly,” Maya pointed out.

Katrin, 16 years old

Unlike Natalia and Maya, Katrin did not send any photos.

“A few years ago, I started seeing a boy. At first, everything was fine, until one sunny day, he just decided he wanted to do more.

I turned him down at the time, saying I didn’t want to do anything because I felt I was too young and simply wasn’t comfortable. He got angry. He started pressuring me on the bed. I screamed and, of course, kicked him out of the room.

After a few similar incidents, he even hit me. He slapped me. That’s when I decided to end it,” she recounted.

The boy then began threatening her that if she didn’t get back together with him, he would post photos of her that he claimed to have taken once while she was changing. Katrin did not give in to the blackmail and refused to be manipulated.

She advises girls not to allow anyone to treat them aggressively, to protect themselves, and never to do anything against their will.

What advice do specialists give?

Ivanina Ancheva—PhD in Psychology, psychodrama assistant, and psychologist at the Center for Public Support “Svetulka” in Veliko Tarnovo—warned that, in general, sending nude, erotic, or pornographic photos is never a good idea. Her concern goes beyond any risk that the recipient might misuse this content.

“It’s something intimate and personal—our body,” she explained.

She believes we should treat our own intimate life with respect, and the same goes for what we share with our partner(s).

“Simply put, never, under any circumstances, send your intimate photos. It doesn’t matter if you’re 16, 25, or 35 years old. It doesn’t matter if it’s someone you love or have known for months or years,” she added. “If you want a romantic game or to tease your partner, you can write them a message or record a voice note with kind words or erotic content. Anyone who asks you to send intimate photos of yourself certainly does not respect you, and without respect, we cannot talk about love, can we?”

From her professional perspective, she explains that in most cases, a girl sends a photo because she has feelings for the other person, wants to please them, is seeking to be liked, and, most importantly, does not want to be rejected.

According to Ancheva, if a photo has already been sent, there are two options: ask the recipient to delete the images, or share with them how you feel.

“Ако той или тя решат да злоупотребяват с тях, започнат да ви се присмиват или заплашват, може веднага да потърсите помощ и подкрепа.”

“If he or she decides to misuse the images, starts mocking you, or threatens you, you can immediately seek help and support.”

She also wanted to highlight that distributing or possessing pornographic material is a crime. She would advise anyone in this situation to speak with a trusted person—a friend, parent, or psychologist.

“Sexuality is not something to be ashamed of, of course, but it is certainly personal and intimate—something we should share thoughtfully and only with select people. We should not use our sexuality to seek love, since what we receive in return may not only fail to satisfy us but could also hurt us—deeply,” she emphasized.

A good example from the village of Dermantsi

Although the topic is very important for teenagers and can have serious consequences, it is rarely addressed in schools.

This school year, Neofit Rilski Comprehensive (Primary & Secondary) School in the village of Dermantsi, Lovech region, launched the You Are Not Alone campaign, dedicated to combatting online harassment and the sharing of intimate photos without consent. Students from grades 7, 8, and 9 are participating.

“Shame is enormous, but do you know what’s even scarier? That it’s the victim who often feels guilty. And in reality, she is not to blame. That’s exactly what motivated us to create our campaign,” shared students from the school on stage at the “Democratic Mosaic” festival before an audience of citizens and youth organizations at Slavykov Square in Sofia.

They were inspired by real incidents from their own school. One living example is an eighth-grade girl.

“It was really ugly… I didn’t know how to react,” explained the student from Neofit Rilski School. One day, during a computer modeling class, a classmate showed her a photo.

Her face had been placed on someone else’s nude body using Photoshop.

“I became the victim of a very nasty Photoshopped image,” she said. The photo was taken from TikTok, altered, and turned into something it wasn’t. On the same day it was created, it was being shared. “It was so shocking, I couldn’t wrap my head around it. What had I ever done to him?”

This marked the start of a humiliation campaign, spreading from phone to phone among children who had known each other since first grade.

“He lied to me, saying it was another boy [who did it]. I never expected that,” she told us. “There are other girls they message too, asking for pictures and threatening to tell their parents. It happens all the time,” added the eighth-grader.

After the incident, the girl began actively participating in the school’s initiative.

“I don’t want this to happen to other girls. It was very hard, but if I can help someone now, I will,” she said.

Daniel Simeonov, the English teacher who organized the project at Neofit Rilski School, told sCOOL Media: “Sometimes I have to pause the English lesson because I can see the tension on the students’ faces. If the problem isn’t talked about, there’s no point in teaching.”

He emphasized that the issue extends far beyond the school: “These photos aren’t created at school. They’re made at home, but we are the ones who have to deal with the consequences.” The responsibility has to be shared, he thinks—among parents, institutions, and the wider community.

From his perspective, the school is the only place in the village of Dermantsi where children can engage in meaningful activities. That’s why the initiative has found its natural home there. “Our administration is extremely supportive and understands the needs of modern education,” Simeonov said.

Even so, he admitted that changing attitudes is not easy to measure and often becomes “visible only in the little things”, such as students attending school regularly and starting to recognize it as a safe space.

Dr. Ivanina Ancheva noted that her organization works to bring about change through its Mobile Center for Sexual Education and Culture. They have also published a handbook, A Guide to the World of Sexual Education and Culture, which includes exercises and information for children, parents, and professionals.

The stories of Natalia and Maya clearly show what statistics can only hint at—behind every report of online abuse is a scared child, left alone at the moment they most needed understanding and protection. Their voices reveal the fragility of trust, the pressure that often remains invisible to adults, and the consequences that can last for years.

The rising number of cases in the country is not just an alarming statistic; it reflects a deep social problem: a lack of early education on boundaries and consent, a lack of discussions at home, and unsafe online spaces where children are alone facing adult predators or manipulative peers.

Initiatives like You Are Not Alone demonstrate that change is possible when schools, parents, and communities work together. However, the issue cannot be left for individual teachers or isolated campaigns to resolve. Systematic care, ongoing conversations, and an environment where children know they can speak up before it’s too late are essential.

If you need help, you can call the National Children’s Online Safety Hotline at 124-123.

If you prefer to chat with a consultant online or want to report an incident, you can visit safenet.bg, the website of the Bulgarian Safer Internet Center.

Funded under the project “Youth Against Disinformation” of the OPEN SPACE Foundation (OSF), implemented in partnership with the Association of European Journalists in Bulgaria (AEJ-Bulgaria), with the support of the British Council in Bulgaria. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of OSF, AEJ-Bulgaria, or the British Council in Bulgaria. Neither OSF, AEJ-Bulgaria, nor the British Council in Bulgaria can be held responsible for them.

Kornelia Tomaszewicz

While her classmates were learning one new letter per day in first grade, Macedonian Teona Sima was bored. Thanks to her older sister, she already knew how to read and write by the age of five or six. Her first-grade teachers and her parents agreed that she should skip first grade due to her advanced language skills. 

As a high school student in the Macedonian capital, Skopje, her dream was to make as many international friends as possible so she could have a home everywhere in the world. Unlike many others, Teona managed to turn her wish into reality. 

Today, at the age of 22, Teona speaks eight languages – Bulgarian, English, French, Turkish, Greek, Spanish, Serbian, and her native Macedonian. 

But with over 800,000 followers on Instagram, she’s better known as The Language Blondie on social media or the “influencing star” in North Macedonia. She creates reels about cultural insights and useful daily phrases in all of the languages she knows. 

“I can now proudly say that I have a home in Istanbul, Belgrade, Athens, Sofia, Lisbon, Ljubljana, Vilnius, Paris… There’s truly no better feeling than having friends that you can visit in many different countries,” says Teona. 

Although Teona had already mastered many languages, she used them only for communication. In 2022 during a summer basketball championship a Turkish referee noticed her speaking to others in different languages. Curious, he approached her and asked if it was true. When Teona confirmed it, he encouraged her to do more with her unique talent.

His words planted a seed of inspiration. Teona began to realize how special her ability truly was. This moment led her to a new idea: to combine her passions for video-making and language learning.

Just a year later, Teona crafted her own logo for her Instagram account – The Language Blondie. Her goal was to create content in all of the languages she knows, learn new expressions, teach others language tips, and to share advice and cultural insights with her followers. 

However, the polyglot does not subscribe to the idea that only those with an innate talent can learn foreign languages.

“It’s impossible to start learning a language and not feel overwhelmed by its difficulty and want to quit,” she says. 

Teona once believed she could never learn Greek because of its alphabet and difficult grammar, so she never tried. She later realized it wasn’t inability holding her back, but her own limiting beliefs. Determined to change this, she committed to learning despite setbacks and after two years she succeeded. 

“When you genuinely want to do something and do it with love, you will never really quit. You will just fail a couple of times and get right back to where you started,” Teona says. “So for anyone who believes they can’t learn a language and doesn’t do the work, I am telling you that you can’t learn the language only because you’re not doing the work!”

Teona had described herself as a “word forgetter” and a “grammar hater” on her 2025 TEDx talk in AUBG and told the audience that for her it never worked to learn a new language by diving into the grammar first. 

“It is by far the worst and most boring way to start learning any language,” she says during the talk. “My favorite way to learn a language is to listen to it all the time. I love listening to music and translating lyrics, as well as watching TV shows and YouTube videos in that language because it’s the easiest way to get your brain used to hearing it.” 

Which is why she started creating content with useful daily phrases in different languages while studying Psychology and Journalism at the American University in Bulgaria in Blagoevgrad.

“I definitely use the storytelling principles in my content creation work on social media. I also use my interviewing skills and psychology knowledge in my daily communication with people, so my majors turned out to be the most useful thing I could study!”

At first, she thought that nobody would watch her content besides her friends. Little did she know that only six months later she would have over 700,000 followers on Instagram, which led her to win the “Influencing Star” award in North Macedonia at a local contest. 

Since gaining popularity online, Teona says the biggest change is being recognized in public. “Those interactions are always so heartwarming,” she says, recalling a woman who once thanked her at the airport: “She made my entire week better, and I still think about her to this day.” 

She has also received funny messages like “Do you want an Indian boyfriend?” and experienced surreal moments such as when the famous American actor and wrestler Dwayne Johnson commented on her posts or when she was contacted by America’s Got Talent in 2024.

Despite her success, Teona is most proud of inspiring others through her TEDx talk in AUBG. “I’ve never worked harder at something… so its success was extremely rewarding.” She credits her mother as her biggest inspiration, describing her as “a woman who can do it all.”

Learning languages rarely comes without a few funny moments and Teona has had her fair share. For example while living in Bulgaria she discovered that certain phrases can have completely different meanings in another language. 

“For example “ke te baram posle” means “I will call you later” (baram literally means “I search”)  in Macedonian, and apparently something you should never say in a room full of Bulgarians (I learned that the hard way). Also, “dechko” means a boyfriend in Macedonian, but “Imam dechko” in Bulgarian would mean “I have a little boy”, which is hilarious,” Teona said in an interview for sCOOL Media.

Looking ahead, she plans to reach a B2 level in her languages and apply for Master’s programs in psycholinguistics. 

“Languages are both my hobby and my job… it’s tough to draw the line,” she says, adding, “they will forever be my biggest love.”

By Katrin Radoslavova

One in three women worldwide has been a victim of online violence, and 85 % have witnessed such abuse directed at other women, according to research by The Economist. Though still a relatively new phenomenon, cyberbullying is already recognized in European law and in some cases can be classified as a crime. However, many incidents remain undocumented and unpunished, allowing room for escalation.

How Ordinary People Become Bullies

Online anonymity is a key factor enabling cyber violence, explains clinical psychologist Lili Pirova, who has more than 15 years of experience.

“Anonymity creates a sense of impunity. People can easily behave online in ways they would never do in real life,” she said.

According to Pirova, online aggression often stems from patterns learned in childhood. Behaviors modeled by adults can be internalized as ‘normal’ and later repeated toward others. Even those who have experienced violence themselves may end up reproducing the same patterns. 

“If a child grows up in an environment where aggression is normalized, they struggle to develop a critical perspective on such behavior and often carry it into adulthood,” she explained.

The online environment amplifies this mechanism: the lack of direct human contact and immediate social consequences allows suppressed emotions and anger to be released quickly and uncontrollably.

Why Women Are Targeted

Ani Torozova, head of the “Protection Zone” Child and Youth Advocacy Centre at the Animus Foundation, explains that the causes of online violence against women operate on multiple levels — historical, cultural, and social.

“Patriarchal models, religious beliefs, and centuries-old stereotypes portray women as weak and submissive. These attitudes continue to persist today, including online,” she said.

Torozova emphasises that there is no single profile of a cyberbully; aggressors can be found across all social groups. More commonly, however, they are individuals who grew up in violent households, have impulsive personalities with a need for dominance, or carry accumulated aggression.

“If the environment tolerates sexist jokes or aggression, it becomes normalized,” she added.

What Effective Prevention Looks Like

The Animus Foundation not only supports victims of violence but also works actively to limit the spread and normalization of aggression. Torozova stresses that prevention must happen on several fronts: within the family, at school, and in the wider community.

Within the family, key factors include the behavioral models, respect, and empathy that children observe and internalize. In schools, prevention is carried out through programs, discussions, and initiatives aimed at recognizing violence and developing skills for safe communication. Torozova also emphasizes that working directly with traumatized individuals is a form of prevention, as supportive environments and recovery reduce the risk of repeated violent behavior in the future.

On a societal level, awareness campaigns play a crucial role in shifting attitudes and fostering public dialogue on the topic. Effective prevention requires a combination of education, parenting support, social services, early intervention, and timely identification of problems.

Institutions also play a crucial role: enforcing laws against domestic and sexual violence, implementing rapid-response mechanisms, developing robust protection systems, and offering rehabilitation programs for offenders. Equally important is challenging cultural stereotypes through public dialogue and investing in mental health support to ensure accessible psychological care and timely preventive services.

International Initiatives for Prevention and Rehabilitation of Perpetrators of Violence

In the United Kingdom, efforts focus on preventing violence and supporting offenders to change their behavior. One national organization, Respect UK, offers a helpline for men who are prone to violence. Another remarkable initiative is The Forgiveness Project, which invites people to explore the complex question of forgiveness. Believing in the transformative power of stories, the organization works through an online library of stories, podcasts, educational resources, exhibitions, and prison programs where dialogue promotes awareness, forgiveness, and violence prevention. Similar goals are pursued by Project Restore in New  Zealand.

In Finland, the KiVa program focuses on prevention through education. Developed at the University of Turku with support from the Ministry of Education and Culture, KiVa offers a wide range of tools and resources for schools to address bullying. Preventive activities from the KiVa curriculum target all students and aim to stop bullying before it starts.

At the European level, the DeStalk project sets standards and brings together various national initiatives aimed at preventing violence and working with offenders.

Most European efforts today are still focused on traditional forms of violence. Meanwhile, cyberbullying continues to grow and remains difficult to identify, control, or sanction.

Anonymity, social stereotypes, and the lack of effective response mechanisms make the online environment a territory where aggression can easily thrive.

Limiting cyberbullying requires a combination of better education, stronger institutional tools, clear rules for digital platforms, and changes in cultural attitudes.

Digital spaces are an extension of real life, and fighting violence online is just as critical as in the real world.

Funded under the project “Youth Against Disinformation” of the OPEN SPACE Foundation (OSF), implemented in partnership with the Association of European Journalists in Bulgaria (AEJ-Bulgaria), with the support of the British Council in Bulgaria. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of OSF, AEJ-Bulgaria, or the British Council in Bulgaria. Neither OSF, AEJ-Bulgaria, nor the British Council in Bulgaria can be held responsible for them.

By Trayana Kaloyanova

In the summer of 2009, 14-year-old Rose Kalemba went for a walk in her small town in Ohio, USA. However, the stroll in a familiar neighborhood quickly took a drastic turn when a strange man emerged from the shadows. He threatened Rose with a knife and forced her into his car. 

Another man was waiting for them inside. The two men took Rose to a house on the opposite side of town, where they beat and raped her for hours while a third man filmed her torture. He showed the girl hundreds of videos of other women who had experienced the same thing.

Rose realized with horror that she was not the first and would hardly be the last victim. But instead of holding her back, her fear provided the strength to speak out. She convinced the men that if they let her go, she would not reveal their identities. 

Left on a random street, bleeding and bruised, Rose made her way home and told her family everything. Her father immediately called the police, but she was too terrified to identify her attackers. She later attempted suicide, but her brother intervened just in time.

Several months passed before Rose attempted to resume her normal life. But then some classmates sent her a link through the social network MySpace. It led to the pornographic platform PornHub, where the videos of her assault were posted and had already gathered over 400,000 views.

Rose’s classmates began to bully her constantly, forcing her to relive that trauma over and over again. Almost every day, the girl sent emails to PornHub, explaining that she was a minor and the victim of sexual assault.  

The videos continued to gain popularity, while her pleas went ignored. Desperate and out of options, Rose hatched an unconventional plan: she created a new email account, posing as a lawyer, and threatened PornHub with legal action. Only then were the videos removed, and Rose finally found the courage to report her attackers, who received suspended sentences.

At first glance, Rose’s story may appear to be over 15 years and an ocean away. 

Yet this is one of the first documented cases of pornographic content being distributed in order to harass and humiliate—a crime that is increasingly common in Bulgaria.

In most cases, the perpetrators are men seeking revenge after a relationship ends—so-called ‘revenge porn’—while the victims are girls and young women who once trusted them. Such crimes often go unreported due to shame and societal insensitivity.

According to research by UN Women, over 50% of women aged 18 and above in Eastern Europe and Central Asia have experienced online violence, predominantly of a sexual nature.

Every second girl between 15 and 25 worldwide has been subjected to aggressive behavior and online threats at least once in her life, and most are only 14 years old when it first happens to them.

“I still have your pictures”

 Sibylla is among thousands of women and girls affected by this problem.

Although she is now a young adult, she admits that between the ages of 11 and 14, she maintained contact via Instagram and Messenger with several men, to whom she sent intimate photos of herself. 

“When I was 12, I was texting a guy. He claimed to be 18, but he looked closer to 30, and I think he was from India. He kept pressuring me to send [photos], and when I refused, he threatened to kill himself,” Sibylla told sCOOL Media.

Over time, Sibylla lost contact with the man. Then after five years had passed, he reached out to her again.

“I opened my phone and saw my 12-year-old self. He had sent the photo back, writing something like, ‘I still have your pictures’, with a smiley emoji,” Sibylla recalled.

She asked him to delete the images but received no response. Sibylla suspects he did not send the photos only to her but also shared them with others in a closed Telegram group called “The Boys”.

All of this leaves Sibylla in a constant state of fear that someone might recognize her if they gain access to her photos.

“One day after gym class, all the boys in my class had gathered around a phone. I went over to see what they were looking at,” Sibylla told us.

On the screen she saw a clip of a naked young girl. 

“I remember just freezing—I thought at first that it was me.” The girl, it turns out, was a classmate of Sibylla’s, and the video quickly spread throughout the school. The bullying she faced escalated fast, turning from verbal harassment into physical abuse.

“Guys would go up to her and touch her. I think because of the video, they assumed she liked it. I felt really bad for her, but at the same time, I was relieved it wasn’t me,” Sibylla said.

Later, she learned that her classmate’s ex-boyfriend had initially sent the video to “The Boys”, and then another boy from their school shared it via Messenger. Because Sibylla’s face does not appear in the intimate photos of her, she has been spared the same fate of public humiliation.

“It’s one thing to do something like that to a stranger on the other side of the world, and quite another to someone you’ve been in a relationship with for three years. I don’t know how people like that sleep at night,” reflected Sibylla.

Is there any control against abuse on social media?

More than a decade separates the stories of Rose and Sibylla, yet the only visible change is the online space that enables such crimes. The migration of sexual harassment online—from pornographic platforms like OnlyFans and PornHub to social networks such as Telegram, Instagram, and Facebook—is far from accidental.

In 2020, PornHub was forced to remove over 70 million videos uploaded by unverified accounts due to concerns over their legality. This action followed allegations from dozens of women and girls against the site, as well as the decision by Visa and Mastercard to block payments to the platform.

Since then, content uploaded on OnlyFans and PornHub has been subject to stricter controls. Only verified accounts with ID verification can upload material, and it must be confirmed that all participants in the videos are of legal age.

Uploads are scanned and sorted using artificial intelligence (AI) and reviewed by human moderators. If illegal content is detected, the videos or photos are removed, and the account is terminated. Depending on the severity of the offense, the platforms may also alert law enforcement.

Controls on social networks such as Facebook and Instagram are more limited. These platforms rely on AI scanning and user reports. The same applies to Messenger, except for so-called “secret chats”. Such chats, like conversations on other messaging apps such as WhatsApp, cannot be scanned and can only be reported.

However, the most unreliable app when it comes to user safety is Telegram. It is known for offering the highest level of privacy for its users. For this reason, reports are the only way to control illegal content.

Unfortunately, this mechanism is extremely unreliable because reports against “secret chats” cannot be reviewed. The same applies to reports against private chats before October 2024, when Telegram’s privacy policy was changed.

Reports are typically reviewed within an average of two days—a period during which someone’s intimate photos could be shared countless times.

Once a violation has been detected, the content on Telegram gets removed, and the offender’s account is either restricted or fully deleted, along with the group or chat used. If the photos or videos involve a child or are related to rape or threats, the user is supposed to be reported to the local authorities.

What does the law say?

But what should we do if the authorities are not notified, or if our case does not meet any of the criteria?

In Bulgaria, there is no specific law related to “revenge porn”, but the production and distribution of pornography are explicitly prohibited in the country.

If such materials are shared via social networks or websites, the perpetrator can face up to two years in prison and a fine of 500 to 1,500 euros. In the absence of financial damages or other mitigating circumstances, the sentence may be suspended or replaced with an administrative penalty or probation.

Heavier penalties apply for distributing pornographic materials involving persons under 16 years of age. In such cases, the sentence can reach up to six years in prison and a fine of up to 2,500 euros.

The same punishment applies if a minor was involved in the creation of pornographic content, if someone appears to be or has been made to appear as a minor, or if a person does not understand the significance or purpose of the act.

If the photos were taken without the victim’s explicit consent, or if images have been distributed in which the victim can be easily identified, the law provides for imprisonment of one to three years or a fine of up to 5,000 euros.

In cases like Sibylla’s, where the crime was most likely committed from a country outside the European Union, it is best to report the incident to the platform where the images were shared, due to differences in legislation between countries.

Each case is unique, however, so consulting a lawyer is recommended. Survivors of online violence can also contact the national legal aid hotline: 070 01 82 50.

While it is impossible to reduce the number of victims of these crimes to zero, stricter moderation on social networks and legislative amendments could change the story for girls like Rose and Sibylla.

Funded under the project “Youth Against Disinformation” of the OPEN SPACE Foundation (OSF), implemented in partnership with the Association of European Journalists in Bulgaria (AEJ-Bulgaria), with the support of the British Council in Bulgaria. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of OSF, AEJ-Bulgaria, or the British Council in Bulgaria. Neither OSF, AEJ-Bulgaria, nor the British Council in Bulgaria can be held responsible for them.

By Simona Sakarova

“Dumb b*tch! Without you, it’s better.”

Sometimes 16-year-old Victoria* hears this insult behind her back at school. These words were not chosen randomly — they’re from the lyrics of the song “Mahlenska Chalga” by Bulgarian singer Marso.

“There were days when I just didn’t want to go to school,” Victoria tells sCOOL Media. She adds that there have been other times when boys at school called her names that were clearly from songs.

“It was funny for them, but it was humiliating for me,” she says.

Music has always been an important part of teenagers’ lives. For many, performers become major role models and show them a way to express themselves.

But many lyrics of songs that are popular among teenagers right now contain overtly sexist messages.

Women as “pleasure machines”

A brand new example is the song “My Perfume Makes You Wanna F*ck?” by Dimoff and Young BB Young, whose video has garnered over 1 million views on YouTube in just two months. It features the line “You’re the last card in the deck I need.” In another song by Dimoff, “Greasy”, which has been viewed over 5.4 million times, he sings “I c*m in her mouth and drip all over it like ice cream.”

Even more sexist lyrics by rappers MBT and Marso can be pointed out. “Mahlensksa Chalga” has over 5.6 million views, and part of it goes: “Dumb b*tch comes asking, ‘Can I sit with you?’ ‘Course not! Without you, it’s better!”

This is from “Chanel”, listened to more than 2.6 million times: “I love it when she’s drowning under me and I’m yanking her hair. (…) I’m gonna buy you Chanel, but you know I don’t love you.”

In “Bought and Sold”, the lyrics read: “I’m the one who unleashed the devil in her, and I’ll teach her to be obedient.” This song has nearly 3 million views on YouTube. “Stolen”, viewed 3.8 million times, insists: “I’ll b*ng her, you pay for the implants”, while “Nothin’s Gonna Happen”, which has 3.4 million views, proclaims: “We don’t turn wh*res away here. We turn them into cash machines.”

Marso’s collaborations with singer Bilyanish, like the song “Cash”, viewed over 6.2 million times, even feature lines like: “I’ll make you fall in love and be my slave.” In other joint projects, such as “Ecstasy” by Marso, Bobkata and Kotenceto, the woman is described as being “tied on a leash”. A few basic themes are repeated in these songs. Women are presented as objects or “pleasure machines”, men are masters who control them, and relationships are described as a struggle for power, instead of being based on trust and respect.

What effect do these lyrics have on people?

When people listen to these songs over and over, they start to accept these things as normal. Psychologist Ani Vladimirova describes this effect with the metaphor of the “boiled frog”, which illustrates how people can accept gradual but destructive changes and situations until they become too tired to react — much like a frog who slowly boils itself without realizing the danger while sitting in the water as it gets hotter and hotter.

Words like “wh*re,” “c*nt” or “b*tch” are a constant element in these songs. They not only demean and insult women, they normalize the idea that it is acceptable to talk about them in such ways. When teenagers get used to this language, they start using it in their everyday lives. This is how music can promote toxic relationships, making young people think that they are acceptable and even idealistic.

Alexander* is a teenager who likes to listen to MBT, Marso, Bilyanish and Murda Boyz (Marso and another rapper, Bobby), mostly because of their energetic trap beats. “The beat puts me in a good mood. The lyrics are sometimes rough, but I don’t take them seriously,” he tells sCOOL Media. He admits that he hasn’t thought much about how the songs sound to girls until now.

“It’s more of a joke for us, but I understand now that some of the words can be really offensive and hurt others,” he says, adding,“Some boys, especially younger ones, could be influenced by this music, and that can have an impact on their thinking and actions.”

Ultimately, Alexander admits that while the music is fun for him to listen to, awareness about this influence is making him look at the lyrics more carefully. “I think it’s important for artists to know how their words are perceived, because they can inspire or hurt.”

Many teenage girls feel exactly the same effect after hearing such songs. Victoria says that because of the insults she received that came from song lyrics, she avoided wearing shorter or more revealing clothes, expecting further comments.

“I can’t believe that the words from music can make people around me behave so disgustingly,” she says. She doesn’t see this problem as anything new, but rather related to the Balkan genre called pop-folk which preaches the same ideals as modern rap music and influences relationships between girls and boys.

sCOOL Media sent questions to some of the rap performers to find out what they think about these effects from their music, but we received no reply from any of them.

According to Vladimirova, “imitation of role models in adolescence is directly related to the construction of identity.” The personas of “successful” and “well-liked” people are what drive young people’s imitation in order to be accepted by their peers. Social networks enhance this effect by creating the illusion of closeness and accessibility.

The “dominant male” model is particularly prevalent — ​​the image of a man as stronger and more powerful, the one who should take command and have supremacy over others, she explains. In this context, “appearance and sexual attractiveness become the most significant criteria for value, and this opens the door to behavior that supports only them.”

The psychologist emphasizes that such influence breaks down the fragile identity of teenagers and fosters doubts about their own worth. In the long run, this leads to suspicion about their partners’ sincerity and to problematic relationships.

“We have plenty of examples of tolerating violence in such a relationship. The process is two-sided, with an aggressor and a victim. Moreover, these models are also carried over from the world of significant adults in the lives of children.”

Is there a solution?

The psychologist notes that music, films, etc. will always influence teenagers’ attempts at self-expression and finding themselves. Therefore, critical thinking and the development of healthy values ​​must start at an early age. Otherwise, we will observe “unhealthy relationships, toxic attitudes and subsequent mental problems”.

The long-term effects include dehumanization and lack of empathy in society. At the same time, this is a vicious circle — the fact that society already suffers from a lack of empathy contributes to the normalization of such songs. Ani Vladimirova emphasizes, however, that this type of music is not the only cause, but a secondary effect of the same dehumanization, the roots of which are complex and multi-layered.

There is no one ready-made solution, but there are ways forward. Critical thinking and empathy can be developed at school through lessons and conversations that help young people recognize hidden messages in music and on social media.

An important role is also played by parents, whose example-setting and willingness to speak openly can create a solid foundation for attitudes towards others. The most significant factor is communication: when these topics are discussed together in a real dialogue, it becomes easier for teens to establish their own viewpoints, rather than accept pre-fabricated ideas that humiliate or belittle people.

*Names have been changed to protect anonymity.

Funded under the project “Youth Against Disinformation” of the OPEN SPACE Foundation (OSF), implemented in partnership with the Association of European Journalists in Bulgaria (AEJ-Bulgaria), with the support of the British Council in Bulgaria. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of OSF, AEJ-Bulgaria, or the British Council in Bulgaria. Neither OSF, AEJ-Bulgaria, nor the British Council in Bulgaria can be held responsible for them.

By Elena Dimitrova

Online violence is no longer a novel concept, but it remains under-recognized in Bulgaria. It is far less often prosecuted by law, which is quite incomprehensible to victims’ relatives. For many girls and women, digital bullying is more than “unpleasant messaging”; it is a means for them to be controlled and live in fear.

In 2023, nearly 46,000 reports of online violence against children were submitted to the Bulgarian Safer Internet Center. They mainly involved girls between the ages of 10 and 14.

According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO) for 2024, one in six children in our country has been a victim of online bullying. Bulgaria also came in first place in terms of the number of reports submitted to the International Association of Internet Hotlines (INHOPE) network for the past year.

For institutions, the topic is still partially invisible, especially if a case doesn’t involve direct threats or the distribution of intimate materials. Therefore, the first line of support is often non-governmental organizations, which not only respond but also help with the long-term recovery of victims.

What is cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying is a type of harassment that occurs online — on social networks and online platforms. It can be expressed in the distribution of photos, sending offensive messages or threats, and more.

However, online bullying is often not isolated, occurring in parallel with face-to-face harassment.

“For example, a woman who is already a victim of physical or psychological violence by a partner may be blackmailed into sharing her intimate photos. This is not just a threat, but a mechanism for maintaining fear and submission,” the Animus Association Foundation, which maintains a hotline for victims of domestic violence, told sCOOL Media.

The consequences can be severe, from anxiety and depression to social withdrawal and self-harm. Sometimes the biggest challenge for victims is not stopping the harassment but regaining control of their lives — returning to school or work or simply not being afraid to use their phone.

In the digital environment, some platforms pose a particularly high risk to children and adolescents, especially girls. Telegram, for example, has established itself as one of the most problematic online spaces. There, hundreds of thousands of cases where sexually exploitative content of children was distributed have been identified in recent years.

But the risk is not limited to this platform alone. Fake profiles created by adults with criminal intent can be found on social networks such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, WhatsApp, Messenger and Discord, where perpetrators pose as victims’ peers in order to gain their trust.

A worrying recent trend is the increasingly young girls who create profiles on platforms such as OnlyFans, an online network for paid, often intimate content. This exposes children at a young age to serious risks of sexual exploitation.

What about online harassment reports?

The National Network for Children (NNC), an umbrella organization for the protection of children’s rights, is actively engaged in combating online harassment against girls.

They told sCOOL Media that reports of violence are distributed to the safenet.bg hotline and consultation service. These are managed by experts and volunteers who provide support to child victims. They process the reports and, if necessary, send them to the cybercrime division of the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (GDCOC) at the Ministry of Interior (MoI).

When they receive a report, Animus specialists work in three parallel directions — psychological support, legal consultation and reporting to institutions such as the GDCOC, agencies for social assistance and the police. Although the content often cannot be removed immediately, in some cases the reactions are quick and effective.

“We have real cases where the perpetrator has been identified and sanctioned. But the greatest success is not in the courtroom, but when a woman begins to communicate freely and not be afraid again,” Animus adds.

Systemic gaps

According to these two NGOs, the main obstacles to addressing online violence are:

• the slow reaction of institutions;
• the lack of a clear regulation for removing content that constitutes harassment;
• insufficient coordination between the MoI, prosecutors and social services;
• shame and fear among victims, who often do not seek help out of concern about how they will be received.

“The most difficult thing is that technologies are developing much faster than legislation, the state or institutions can react. New applications, new forms of violence and fraud appear literally every month,” Georgi Elenkov, Director of Children’s Policies at the NNC, tells sCOOL Media. 

“There is immense distrust among children about whether institutions will listen to them, understand them or protect them effectively. Often families and schools are not prepared to face the problem, and sometimes children themselves are even blamed. This makes the work of prevention and support even more complicated.”

sCOOL Media sent questions on the topic to the Ministry of Justice, the MoI and the cybercrime division at the GDCOC. By the time the editorial work on this article was completed, we had not received any answers.

The solution

Without changes at the institutional level or the development of a long-term strategy, online bullying against young girls is a problem that cannot be solved permanently.

Until then, NNC specialists are advocating for much-needed family support. They want to remind children that victims of online bullying are not to blame.

“The responsibility always lies with the person doing the bullying. Don’t let the problem remain only with you — tell a parent, teacher or friend and immediately report it to safenet.bg,” the organization advises.

As next steps, Georgi Elenkov outlines:

“Keep evidence, such as screenshots of photos and chats, which will help institutions counteract violence. And know that you can get help, even when you’re feeling scared or desperate, support is only a chat away. Prevention is not a one-and-done initiative; it requires constant dialogue, and girls have to know that there is always someone to support them.”

Online violence against women and girls is not a “virtual problem”. It is real violence with real consequences. There is still no clear, working protection system in Bulgaria.

But NGOs like Animus and the NNC are filling the systemic gaps left by the state every day. And while cases of online harassment continue to increase, they are the voice and support for those who are still wondering whether anyone will hear them.

Funded under the project “Youth Against Disinformation” of the OPEN SPACE Foundation (OSF), implemented in partnership with the Association of European Journalists in Bulgaria (AEJ-Bulgaria), with the support of the British Council in Bulgaria. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of OSF, AEJ-Bulgaria, or the British Council in Bulgaria. Neither OSF, AEJ-Bulgaria, nor the British Council in Bulgaria can be held responsible for them.

By Natalie Petrova

Online spaces are where teens can communicate, learn and find entertainment. But sometimes they become a platform for pressure, manipulation and fear. This is a true story that happened very recently in a Bulgarian school.

How did it all begin?

“My daughter was only 13 when she started texting a boy on Instagram. He was older, in ninth grade. She thought it was romantic at first — they texted every day, shared secrets. But at one point he asked for something that shocked her — he demanded naked photos,” says Veronika, Alexandra’s mother (names have been changed).

The girl refused, but she sent him photos in a swimsuit anyway. Soon after, the threats began: “If you don’t have sex with me, I’m going to send your photos to everyone at school.” Despite her fear, Alexandra showed courage and blocked the boy. But the photos were now beyond her control. They started getting shared in chats between students.

“A younger girl made a collage of the photos and fabricated a price list for sexual services. It was already a nightmare. Not only for my daughter, but for all of us as a family,” the mother says.

Teachers, the police and child protection were involved in the case. An investigation was launched, and the parents insisted that their daughter receive psychological support. “She refused to leave the house. She was afraid that someone was lying in wait for her. As parents, we were powerless and looked everywhere for help,” says Veronika.

The case did not remain hidden for long. After the photos began to circulate, another incident occurred at the school which coincidentally revealed this story as well. The teachers alerted parents, then the police.

“We went through everything — meetings with the school administration, conversations in the specialized room for children [at the police station] and with child protection. We gave statements to the police. It was important for this not to be swept under the rug,” says the mother.

The investigation found that the boy had distributed the swimsuit photos but had not participated in making the offensive collage. The girl who was guilty of this turned out to have done similar things before. All the evidence was handed over to the prosecutor’s office, but since the photos were not nude, the case was not classified as a crime.

“I received a letter that the act was not considered a crime in the legal sense. But for us as parents, it was a crime — against the dignity of my daughter,” she told us.

Rather than criminal proceedings, corrective educational measures were imposed on the children, including mandatory visits to the specialized room for children during the summer, as well as consultations with a psychologist. The school, in turn, gave them disciplinary sanctions: the students were obliged to attend psychotherapy sessions.

Alexandra’s story shows that even when institutions intervene, the process can be slow and there are loopholes in the law. In order to understand what the real consequences are for children and ways we can protect them, we consulted with specialists.

“Such situations in children aged 12–13 are extremely sensitive, because at this age they’re still establishing a personality and system of values,” says Milena Slavkova, a psychologist at the Regional Center for Support of the Inclusive Education Process, Sofia Region.

Children may feel shame, guilt and fear. They can socially withdraw, carrying the risk of long-term effects on their self-esteem and relationships. Therefore, it’s important to receive family support, work with specialists to restore self-esteem and build trusting relationships with parents. In parallel, kids should be directed towards healthy expression and ways to gain affirmation, not by displaying their bodies but through personal qualities and skills.

“Parents should actively monitor and manage access to social networks to prevent repeated risky situations,” Slavkova commented.

According to psychologists, children often feel fear and guilt even when they have done nothing wrong. The most important thing is to feel supported and understood, and parents should be the first people children turn to.

“The response should be comprehensive — from the school, parents and psychological support,” explains Inspector Stoyan Ivanov, who works in one of the specialized rooms for children. He believes that the law does not adequately address cases involving swimsuit photos like this one, but educational policies and rules set out by schools can limit such images being spread as well as protect other children.

The police officer emphasizes that this story exemplifies how vulnerable children are online. Since prevention is key, Inspector Ivanov offers some tips for staying safe on the Internet.

Kids:

• Never send intimate or nude photos; 
• If someone threatens you, immediately share this with an adult you trust; 
• Keep a record for evidence — photos, chats, screenshots; 
• Block and report the profile.

Parents:

• Talk openly about online risks, not by scaring your kids and without belittling them; 
• Build trust so that children can share without fear of punishment; 
• Monitor their behavior — mood swings, isolation and anxiety can signify a problem; 
• Seek psychological help at the first signs of trauma.

Where to seek help:

• National Children’s Hotline – 116 111;
• Police – Cybercrime Sector;
• State Agency for Child Protection;
• Psychological centers and NGOs working with youth.

 
Alexandra’s is not an isolated case. It shows that children are vulnerable on the Internet, and talking to parents and getting support from schools and institutions are the key to prevention. “I want my story to help other parents stay close to their children and not underestimate the dangers of the Internet,” says Veronika. Talking, listening and being there for them is the best protection.

Funded under the project “Youth Against Disinformation” of the OPEN SPACE Foundation (OSF), implemented in partnership with the Association of European Journalists in Bulgaria (AEJ-Bulgaria), with the support of the British Council in Bulgaria. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of OSF, AEJ-Bulgaria, or the British Council in Bulgaria. Neither OSF, AEJ-Bulgaria, nor the British Council in Bulgaria can be held responsible for them.

By Ivet Atanasova

Closed groups for gossip, anonymous messages and unconfirmed rumors, presented with extreme malice and cynicism. This is the latest trend among young people on social networks: closed pages on Instagram or public ones on TikTok.

There, the ones who don’t fit in are humiliated, called names and publicly condemned. They pay the price of others’ cruelty. One local example is an Instagram page labeled “klukite_na_silistra” [“Silistra gossip”].

At first glance, it seems like a profile or hashtag like any other. In reality, however, communities are formed behind people’s screens, where insults are exchanged as currency and slander becomes the main content.

The rules are clear — you can say and write anything, as long as it remains within the framework of the page. Access is limited, publications are visible only to approved followers, and information is spread at lightning speed, without the possibility of control from the outside. It is this isolation that makes such groups so dangerous: they operate under the radar of institutions, and there is no easy means to protect those affected.

In the virtual darkness, petty conflicts easily escalate. Someone posts a humiliating joke. Mocking comments and shares follow. Thus, personal disputes become a public spectacle that can have serious consequences for the young people affected.

sCOOL Media managed to enter a local gossip group known as klukite_na_silistra and talk to a girl who was the subject of posts there.

“Their words can ruin a person’s life”

Nicole* is 16 years old and a tenth grader. She learned about the student gossip pages last year. From the very beginning, she couldn’t accept the aggressive tone of the posts there, often exposing personal dramas.

One day, however, she received a message from a close friend with a link to a post on klukite_na_silistra, this time directed at Nicole herself. The post was offensive, the language was mocking and cynical, and its author was unknown. However, she has her suspicions about who was behind the post.

“This girl and I had been friends since seventh grade, but we had a fight. Then the attacks and verbal harassment began — she and her group were talking about me loudly during class, loud enough for me to hear. They called me ugly names, humiliated me in front of the others,” Nicole tells sCOOL Media.

A year later, the tension spilled over online with the offensive post on the Silistra gossip page. Reactions in the comments section were mixed, with most people taking Nicole’s side and defending her. This was the first moment when she didn’t feel completely alone against the hostility.

Then she sought out support — she talked to the principal, her parents, the mother of the other student and their class teacher. The adults’ intervention stopped the overt insults. But the problem didn’t disappear; it was simply redirected.

“When the attacks against me decreased, that aggression moved towards my friends. The girl continued to spread gossip on the page about my classmates and even teachers,” says Nicole.

“It is very ugly, but it is not the ugliest thing I have heard. Unfortunately, this is starting to become a common practice — seeking revenge or attention through social networks, sometimes for trivial reasons,” says Diana Hristova from the local commission for combating antisocial behavior of minors and juveniles at the Silistra Municipality, speaking about Nicole’s case.

“People hide behind the screen and feel too emboldened by that. They don’t realize that their words can destroy someone, a person’s life. Sometimes this escalates into systematic harassment that lasts for weeks or months,” she adds.

What are gossip pages good for?

In early February 2024, Zlatin* decided to create his own gossip page, inspired by an already popular one on Instagram, also related to the city of Silistra. In order to gain followers, he began following local students and gaining their trust.

The students responded in kind and gradually joined the group. As the creator, Zlatin’s identity remained a secret to all users. In just the first week, the page gathered nearly 100 followers. Messages to Zlatin came in one after another: “On average, I received about 30 items of gossip per week,” he told sCOOL Media.

“There was always a risk of whether the information was true. But the people writing in weren’t anonymous, so I knew who was behind the words. That way I could decide to publish them or not,” he shares.

The age of his followers ranged from fifth graders to high school seniors. Gradually, however, the initial enthusiasm waned, and after months of working behind the scenes, Zlatin decided to give up.

“I lost interest. In general, I don’t see any positives from these groups — there are only negatives,” he admits. And he adds:

“It was very sad to see how close friends started writing disgusting things behind each other’s backs. And I got disappointed when I read something rude — I even refused to upload it.”

How to react

“Unfortunately, there is no proven method for dealing with and preventing such harassment,” explains Nuray Osman, a psychologist at the St. Kliment Ohridski Primary and Secondary Education Center in the city of Silistra. According to her, summits can be held, cases can be discussed with students, and they can be trained in how to react, including by contacting teachers, specialists or emergency hotlines.

“The problem is that many of these groups are closed. This makes it difficult to react in a timely manner and leaves victims vulnerable, because the aggressors operate in an environment where there is no control or supervision,” Osman says.

According to experts, this problem does not depend only on the family. Bullies can appear both among children in families where domestic violence is present and among those with high social standing and exemplary parents. The decisive influence is often the surrounding environment — ​​neighbors, friends or classmates who support and encourage aggressive behavior. Therefore, although schools are actively working to prevent bullying, the possibility of timely intervention remains limited.

“It’s like giving a small child a knife or a gun and expecting them to learn to protect themselves. Impossible,” says Iskra Yordanova, a high school teacher and mother of a 14-year-old girl.

Although her relationship with her daughter is close, she admits that she sometimes doubts whether her daughter would mention it if something had been shared about her on social media. According to Yordanova, it is this fear that children will keep quiet even when they’re being hurt that makes virtual dangers so difficult for parents to manage.

To protect her, she limits her daughter’s access to mobile devices through special parental control apps. She explains that this is not distrust, but an attempt to establish a boundary in a world where risks are not always visible.

“I think I was even late in setting these rules. I myself didn’t have a phone at her age, and this deprived me of an experience that would be useful to me right now. In a sense, I have felt unprepared as a parent, as children are growing up in a world that is changing much faster than we are able to comprehend,” Yordanova admits.

She thinks the most difficult thing is the balance between wanting to provide freedom and trust and constant fears about the online space becoming a trap. She believes that any restrictions must go hand in hand with conversations and trust. After all, neither one nor the other separately is enough to protect teenagers from the dangers of social networks.

*Names have been changed to protect anonymity.

Funded under the project “Youth Against Disinformation” of the OPEN SPACE Foundation (OSF), implemented in partnership with the Association of European Journalists in Bulgaria (AEJ-Bulgaria), with the support of the British Council in Bulgaria. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of OSF, AEJ-Bulgaria, or the British Council in Bulgaria. Neither OSF, AEJ-Bulgaria, nor the British Council in Bulgaria can be held responsible for them.