Success Nwanedo
The term bullying has, in recent times, been used repetitively over the past few days, uncovering a lot of things that many thought were not present. With the recent deaths recorded locally and internationally, bullying has gradually become a menace in today’s world.
As defined by the Anti-Bullying Alliance, bullying is “the repetitive, intentional hurting of one person or group by another person or group, where the relationship involves an imbalance of power. It can happen face to face or online.” Certain acts we perceive as little jokes, from name-calling to threats and even subtle physical attacks, are acts of bullying.
Bullying threatens the mental, social and psychological well-being of victims. Most bullying behaviours are calculated and deliberate. Bullying occurs anywhere there are human interactions such as schools, workplaces, places of worship, homes and even the Internet. However, most cases of bullying are recorded in schools, including the primary and secondary.
A bully tries to intimidate others through actions that tend to abuse, humiliate, and create fear in them. If not controlled, these cruel behaviour tends to grow out of place, bringing about social integration disorders because bullies tend to live off the habit of abusing others. Meanwhile, a person being bullied may often be withdrawn from the rest of the world, making it quite challenging to uncover that they are being bullied except under keen observation.
The adverse effects of bullying cannot be over-emphasised. Individuals exposed to the act are at risk of developing behavioural difficulties, health problems, lack of self-esteem, loss of confidence, social isolation, social dysfunction, depression, and suicidal tendencies.
With the growing rate of cases of bullying, a timely intervention by the government and human rights organisations will help curb the spread of the social menace. Bullying intervention must focus beyond the aggressor and the victim to include everybody in the broader community; inappropriate behaviour should be discouraged.
Private organisations, government parastatals/agencies and schools can conduct counselling sessions for staff, students and other members of the society, sensitising them on the effects of bullying, what it can do to others and what to do when one is being bullied. Training sessions on how to identify, prevent and address the issues of bullying also should be encouraged. Victims of bullying should be encouraged to speak up at every point to allow appropriate authorities to step in where necessary. The government should also implement laws and policies that will help mitigate the growth of bullying.
It is imperative to nib the bud of bullying before it blooms.
