Lukas Eggenberger and Michelle Loher Awarded UZH Population Center Seed Grant

PhD students Lukas Eggenberger (Risk and Resilience research area, Prof. Lilly Shanahan and University Hospital of Psychiatry Zurich, Prof. Boris Quednow), Michelle Loher (Risk and Resilience research area; Prof. Lilly Shanahan), and Andreas Baumer (Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute; Prof. Viktor von Wyl) were awarded a UZH Population Research Center Seed Grant for their project "Mapping the Margins of Digital Health: Intersectional Pathways in Swiss Adolescents' Experiences of Online Sexual Harassment and Abuse."

Digital spaces have become part of the fabric of adolescent social development, but they can also expose young people to online sexual harassment and abuse. In Switzerland, nearly half of adolescents report unwanted online sexual contact, which can have serious consequences for psychological well-being. Yet most research focuses on individual risk factors in isolation, leaving little understanding of how overlapping vulnerabilities shape risk, recognition, and help-seeking.

This project combines intersectional quantitative analysis of data from the Zurich Youth Survey (ZYS; PI: Dr. Denis Ribeaud) with qualitative inquiry through a co-design workshop involving adolescents, teachers, and youth social workers. The goal: identify digital vulnerabilities among youth and co-develop a prototype prevention resource.

More information about the project can be found at: UZH Population Research Center