There are three main types of bullying: physical bullying, verbal bullying and a dangerous combination of each can lead to emotional bullying. Although physical bullying can result in injury the greatest injury of all in all types of bullying is “self esteem”. Our self esteem is our inner worth and this is something that human beings need, to live a life of quality, not just survival. For some young people the battle to survive soon overwhelms them and that is when tragedy can occur. Suicide statistics show that in the UK between fifteen and twenty five children every year commit suicide because they are being bullied. There may be more we do not know about and many more than this attempt suicide because bullying has driven then to feeling nothing but despair.
Schools are a hot bed for bullies because of the amount of people from different backgrounds and different lifestyles, who gather there. The school environment form produce vulnerability in some children and this insecurity can lead to such pupils becoming victims of a stronger, more confident child.
Primary school children who are being bullied may not understand what’s happening in the same way a secondary school child would but the trauma for these individuals are just the same. The symptoms of bullying shown by a primary school child could be: bed-wetting, nightmares, lying, problems with siblings and becoming introverted. Results show that one in ten primary aged students are persistently and frequently bullied- possibly every day. The consequences of this are horrific and they can live with the trauma until adult life. Man young children may be frightened to leave he home which may cause pressure within the family and family relationships can break down. Due to lying about the bullying, dishonesty may become a way of life, showing that deceit is the only way to survive. Even at primary age the consequences can become even more drastic and can lead to injury. This can be injury caused by a bully or by self harming. Most of these consequences also affect secondary school victims especially the self harming. Ay people believe that victims harm themselves deliberately because they have the power to do so. It is seen as one area of life a vulnerable child can control and it is not uncommon for a victim of bullying to take emotional frustration out on himself or herself. One last consequence is truanting school. Truancy can lead to bad exam grades and getting into trouble as school and at home. Approximately 10% of children have missed school because of violence, showing that bulling has had a detrimental effect on education.
Secondary schools also have bullying problems. It can sometimes be hard to notice symptoms of bullying in a secondary school pupil because children go through many changes both emotionally and physically at a secondary school age. One study reveals the following statistics. One in ten secondary school children are bullied more than once or twice at least in any school term. Some research states that one third of secondary students are bullied during the course of the school year. It is recognized at secondary school pupils will change their circle of friends and can become unsettled as a matter of course. With bullying comes symptoms and signs. In a secondary school pupil the following signs may exist: changes in personality and attitude, at home and in school. It is felt by experts that a victim may flex his muscles at home, victimizing younger siblings, because he or she is powerless to do this outside the safety of the home and it is a way of regaining some self esteem. Grades can begin to fall due to lack of concentration during school hours and stealing can also be a noticeable sign as a victim may need money or items to “pay off” a bully. Further research has shown that up to 40% of secondary school students feel that their teachers are unaware of the bullying which goes on. This adds to the feeling of insecurity felt by many at secondary school.
As a consequence of bullying, teenage victims can suffer from stress or depression which can cause the victim to turn to drugs to make them feel better. A report from Jennifer Harper Deacon who writes for the Sunday Times Style Magazine explains:
“Eating disorders and hair loss can result from intense bullying” and “Self harm is also a result of bullying. The child sees himself as a pathetic victim and treats himself accordingly”
They can also “get in” with the wrong people and may change dramatically in order to be accepted and thus protected. Some victims can go to the extreme of committing suicide which shows that desperation has set in and the victim cannot sense a way to survive the trauma.
The government is aware of the emotional and social problems cause by bullying and is trying to stamp it out. The government fund organizations such as the Childline support line which advises victims and their parents about rising above bulling and surviving the trauma. About 17% of calls to Childline are about bullying. For five consecutive years it has been the most common challenge faced by those who offer the advice. These calls come more from twelve years old about bullying than any other age group. Letting people know how they can be helped has been deemed important and is recognized as a vital step towards overcoming the social disease.
In schools the government also sees that this plays a large part in anti-bullying campaigns and schools now have peer support councils where a victim can go and speak to someone to seek help. Bullying and its consequences have also been built into Personal and Social Education lessons in order to highlight the devastating impact on individuals bullying can have. Education is all about enlightening people and it is seen as being necessary to educate children on the danger of this aggressive act.
The media are seen as being very important to every aspect of modern day life. For example, television communicates in all ways to almost all sectors of our population. It is therefore, a vital tool against bullying. The television has programs such as soap operas creating story lines to show bullying and the fear it creates. Channel 4 has shown a series raising the consequence of bullying and showing the stories of individuals who have over come bullying. Finally, high profile and successful people such as David and Victoria Beckham have also told their survival stories, showing hope and a future to victims.
In conclusion, I feel that if everyone in society works together bullying can become a thing of the past. It is unacceptable and completely unnecessary. It is not the victim who needs to change to fit in or get along: it the bully who needs help.
