The increase of violence in schools has been a rise, with the latest crime statistics revealing that 83 rapes and 19 murders were committed at schooling institutions across the country.

 

Looking back at a 2013 Pondering Panda research study of children between 13 and 24 years old, more than 50% are being bullied.  52% are being teased and insulted, 26% were physically abused (pushed, hit, or beaten) while 16% were cyberbullied via their phone, e-mail, or social media platforms.

 

According to Educational Psychologist Sinovuyo Arosi, published studies reported that bullying victimization prevalence sits between 16.5% up to 75% in South African schools. A recent research study (2023) conducted in 72 SA public schools stated that 36.3% of the students were involved in bullying behaviour, over 8% as bullies, over 29% as victims and over 8% as individuals who bully and have been victimized.

 

With these numbers on a rise and children in danger of further bullying on a daily basis, and with existing campaigns available such as SASKO Siyasizana community initiative,  educating ourselves as adults on the topic has become imperative so we are able to educate our children.

 

 

Arosi further states that bullying is not only a concern in South Africa but the world all over and with the growing use of parasocial platforms and mediums, people are finding new ways of communicating their despair, hate and anger towards others. 

 

“Research has shown that bullying is very common and difficult to alleviate. It is unfortunately everywhere and can have a lasting impact. It can be seen at school, in the workplace, at home, at church and in cyber spaces too. Bullying can be identified as any aggressive behaviour done repeatedly over time which uses force, teasing, abuse, intimidation and domination that results in physical, verbal and psychological harm/hurt. This behaviour can be thought of as verbal bullying, social bullying, cyberbullying, racial bullying, religious bullying, sexual bullying and even disability bullying” she said.  

 

With the many negative effects identified as a result of bullying, the most common being that victims of bullying commonly become bullies themselves. Arosi adds that bullying distorts one’s way of seeing and being in the world. 

 

“This means that it affects the psychological wellbeing of children and has been shown as often resulting in anxiety and depression symptoms in children.

 

 

 

 

“Bullying is serious and must be reported to the school teacher and child victims must know that this will not be tolerated. Children who display the signs of being victims must be referred for psychosocial support. This can be by seeing a psychologist, a social worker or a registered counsellor who works with children. Parents must also equip themselves to support their children through this,” she shares. 

 

What do you do when your child is the bully? “The perpetrators of bullying are themselves in need of support. Remember: bullying is a sign of a child’s difficulty managing their own internal distress. This violent and antisocial way of treating others must be dealt with. Bullies often crave love, validation and value. These children must also be referred for psychosocial support and the roots of this behaviour must be pursued with kindness and thoughtfulness,” says Arosi. 

 

“Bullying behaviour is associated with both internal and external challenges. Research has shown that children who are dysregulated and presenting with anxiety or depressive symptoms are associated with being perpetrators of bullying. Adverse home circumstances have also been identified as being associated with bullying behaviour. It is worth noting that a recent study showed that particularly the use of alcohol in the home is related to the presentation of bullying behaviour in young people. The bully victim becoming the bully perpetrator is also a clear marker of this violent cycle,” she adds.

 

 

 

Arosi adds that teachers, parents and all stakeholders that work with children must come together if any meaningful strides are to be made.

 

“Bullying is rampant and violently impairing the psychological health of young people. It must not be tolerated! Those who care about the overall wellbeing and growth of our communities should care about this message,” she adds. 

 

Arosi shares victim signs to look out for in your child, adding that those signs are usually there and identifiable and need caregivers and those who work with children to be on the lookout.

 

3. Bullying often brings about fear and persistent worry in young people. This can be seen in them avoiding places where they are victimized. For example, a decreased interest in school, loss of interest in favourite school activities, avoiding certain areas of the school or neighbourhood and preferring the company of adults.
4. At times bullying can be identified by sudden changes in the child’s behavior or shift in their general mood and attitude towards life. For example, being happy on weekends, but unhappy, preoccupied, or tense on Sundays, a sudden decrease in quality of school work; becomes moody, irritable, or angry and starts bullying others (e.g., siblings, children in the neighbourhood). 
5. In its worst form children can show clear signs of psychological distress as a result of being bullied, namely: sleep issues such as nightmares and sleeplessness; seeking the wrong friends in the wrong places (e.g., drug users, gangs, etc.), talking about being sad, anxious, depressed, suicidal or having panic attacks. In some cases, children may start to have frequent illnesses such as headaches and stomach aches or they come home with unexplained scratches, bruises, and torn clothing.