Bullying has been happening is schools for as long as there have been schools. Students at primary school and high school can both fall victim to bullying. While it’s been accepted in society that a little bullying can make you a stronger person. Bullying is increasing in schools and with cyber-bullying adding another dimension to this issue. The effects of bullying are becoming much more damaging mentally.
Back then bullying was done mostly by boys and it was teasing and some physical abuse. Now it is the girls that are doing most of the bullying and they are becoming far more sophisticated. Psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg explains why:
“Because girls’ brains are more developed as teens, they are capable of more subtle and sophisticated bullying techniques. They can be crueler, in terms of exclusion, taunting and spreading rumours.”
Student Services at my old high school are seeing more girls sending text messages to attack their victims and I’m sure this will be going on in all high school and even primary schools around Australia and the world. Teachers are finding it harder and harder to see bullying and stop it, as it’s no longer in the classroom or out in the playground.
Cyber bulling is becoming the modern way of bullying. There’s no confrontation, its silent bullying and its getting harder to control and track. The bully does not need to physically see the victim, but they can control them, without feeling guilty, as they don’t see the direct effects of their actions. Creating this fear and controlling the victim, it can make them feel bigger and more powerful in their circle of friends and help create the social status that seems to dictate school life.
Social Networking sites like Facebook have also aided bullies. Instead of telling their victim something cruel, they can post it on Facebook, for everyone to see. Videos can be uploaded of the victim being bullied or something embarrassing happening to them to show everyone what happened. Even a small act like deleting friends can have a massive affect. Another example could be Groups being made up on Facebook called “The I Hate Amanda Group.” Everyone in the school year/school can be invited to join the group. There’s pressure on other students to conform to the group, they too don’t want to become an outsider if they don’t join. Then it can be shown to Amanda, the victim, and they can see all the members of that group, all their school peers have joined. Nobody can see the real effect that this has on the person so they too then don’t feel as guilty and acts such as this can continue to go on. There is no physically abuse, but the mental abuse this attack can have on somebody can be devastating and have consequences leading into adulthood.
There is always a social status in the world and there is one in schools, especially when they reach high school, people change, as do their views, everyone wants to fit in more and will put others down to do so.Students need to understand that everyone has many different issues going on in their head, in their homes, at school and understand that everyone is different and unique and everyone needs to be accepted equally.
I think children and teenagers learn bullying from the world around them. There is so much violence, racism, religious quarrels, they see attacks at people that are overweight, disabled, mentally ill and see adults whom they may look up to attacking these people. Therefore they then take those values and project them onto classmates.
Until society stops bullying in one way or another, it’s going to get worst and will continue to get passed down into schools.
Love it, well done
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