All society must stand up to bullying
The effects of serial psychological and physical abuse can be catastrophic, severely damaging a young person’s self-esteem and inhibiting their chances of success in later life. We know from recent high-profile cases that bullying conducted over the internet can even have tragic consequences. Cyberbullying, enabled by new media tools like smartphones and tablets, has created challenges for educators and parents in protecting young people. It is a menace that stalks school corridors, homes and community centres, usually under the cloak of anonymity.
Cyberbullying is not the only form of intimidation that demands our collective, urgent attention. The National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals commissioned Amárach Research to conduct a survey aimed at gauging public attitudes to bullying. Despite the publicity over cyberbullying, the survey found that four out of five adults, or 81%, believe online and traditional bullying pose an equally serious risk to children’s mental health. Just 12% believe that cyberbullying is worse than traditional forms of bullying. The rest, 7%, believe traditional bullying poses the most serious threat to children’s mental health. The conclusion is that bullying is bullying, whether conducted online or offline.
