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Increasing evidence indicates that face-to-face (offline) youth violence and online harassment are closely interlinked, but evidence from Asian countries remains limited. This study was conducted to quantitatively assess the associations between offline violence and online harassment among youth in Central Thailand. Students and out-of-school youth (n = 1,234, age: 15-24 years) residing, studying, and/or working in a district in Central Thailand were surveyed. Participants were asked about their involvement in online harassment and in verbal, physical, sexual, and domestic types of offline violence, as perpetrators, victims, and witnesses within a 1-year period. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess independent associations between different kinds of involvement in offline violence and online harassment. Perpetration and victimization within the past year were both reported by roughly half of the youth both online and offline. Over three quarters had witnessed violence or harassment. Perpetrating online harassment was independently associated with being a victim online (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 10.1; 95% CI [7.5, 13.6]), and perpetrating offline violence was independently associated with being a victim offline (AOR = 11.1; 95% CI [8.1, 15.0]). Perpetrating online harassment was independently associated with perpetrating offline violence (AOR = 2.7; 95% CI [1.9, 3.8]), and being a victim online was likewise independently associated with being a victim offline (AOR = 2.6; 95% CI [1.9, 3.6]). Online harassment and offline violence are interlinked among Thai youth, as in other countries studied so far. Interventions to reduce either might best address both together.

Violence in the physical (offline) world is a well-documented health and social issue among young people worldwide. In Southeast Asia, online harassment (defined as intentional behaviours to harm others through the Internet or through mobile devices) is less well documented. In this paper, we describe and critically discuss the mixed-methods data collection approach we used to build a contextualised understanding of offline violence and online harassment among 15-24 year-old students and out-of-school youth in Central Thailand. We mapped linkages between offline violence and online harassment, and with their possible correlates including gender, sexuality, and mobile media or Internet use. Data collection methods included in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and a custom-built, self-administered computerised survey. Using mixed methods enabled us to collect holistic qualitative/quantitative data from both students and out-of-school youth. In our discussion, we focus on gender, sexuality, class and ethnicity issues in recruiting out-of-school youth; definition and measurement issues; technical issues in using a computerised survey; ethical issues surrounding data collection from minors as well as privacy and confidentiality concerns in collecting data in both in-school and out-of-school settings; and the general implications of using mixed methods.

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