English cala2

Bullying

TO: MRS MASEKO

FROM: NYASHA CHIDEME

DATE : October 18, 2021

TOPIC : BULLYING

Bullying is a repeated aggressive behavior, intended to harm another person or group of people. It is
common in schools but can be a problem at work in adult life too. It takes many forms. Types of bullying
include:

Physical assault, teasing ,making threats ,name-calling ,excluding a person from a group, not inviting
them to parties. Spreading untrue rumors about a person. Damage to property or schoolwork. Excluding
a person from a group. Cyberstalking - using the internet to stalk or harass an individual. Trolling. This is
posting offensive or stirring messages to provoke people or cause disruption. Trolling is not always
bullying but may be in some instances. Persistent humiliation, ridicule or criticism in front of others.
Picking on one person. Spreading malicious rumors.

There is no single reason which explains why bullying happens. Children can be bullies for a number of
reasons. Many have been bullied themselves. Sometimes it can be an expression of anger or frustration
due to problems they have, such as problems at home or struggling at school or work. It can be the
result of poor upbringing - some people have not been taught to be sensitive to or care about other
people's feelings. Violent games or movies may influence some people's behavior and make them more
likely to be bullies. For some it may be an attention-seeking behavior - for example, if they are not
getting enough care and attention at home or elsewhere. Others find themselves in a position of power
without the skills to use it wisely. In some schools and workplaces there is no culture of respect for
others; this can make bullying more likely. There are many reasons that lead to bullying in schools. One
of the main causes is the cultural factor. This includes race and ethnicity. A child may be a bully or a
victim if he or she comes from a majority race or the minority race respectively. Another cause of
bullying in schools is the nature of life a child is exposed to. In many families in the developed countries,
children are comfortably allowed to watch TV even in their bedrooms. Instead of studying, such children
spend their time playing computer games. The games they play make them bullies because they see
others practice the same. High expectations of parents on their children contribute to bullying. This is
the case because a child will spend a lot of time studying so as to perform well and meet the parents’
expectations. Failure to achieve the target may develop stress in a child and they will express anger
through shouting or bullying fellow learners. Another cause of bullying in schools emanates from the
social status of the family. A child from a humble background will always have some pressurizing needs
that are not met. This child will always want to express this frustration to the fellow learners, especially
those coming from stable families by bullying them. Often the bully is as vulnerable a person as his or
her victim and needs just as much support and help.

The effects of bullying can be very traumatizing. Victims of bullying may opt for dropping out of school
because of the trauma they experience while at school. Others may develop irresponsible behavior that
involves missing classes in most of the occasions. School irregularities among the learners result in poor
performance. Bullying leads to stress among the victims. This in turn results into poor communication
with these children. In some cases, excessive bullying can lead to victims committing suicide to escape
from the painful experiences and memories.

Some of the effects are short term, but if not well addressed, they can result into serious complications.
The victims may have bed-wetting problems, unexplained worries, and digestive problems because of
the fear that is instilled in them. Some victims with the intention of hitting back may develop very
destructive behavior. Other victims may end up engaging in drug abuse to make them forget the painful
experiences. Bullying affects the normal development of victims and makes them have low self-esteem.

Bullying is very bad and ways to prevent it have to be made. It is advisable for children who are being
bullying to report to authorities and to seek counseling before trauma worsens. Bullying can be
prevented in a number of ways such as advising parents to teach their children in proper ways to
associate with others and to be able to stand and defend themselves. Schools and workplaces are
required by law to have plans in place to help prevent bullying. Schools often have anti-bullying projects,
or teaching. Children are taught how to recognize bullying to help them not join in if they find
themselves as bystanders where others are bullying. They are shown how it feels to be bullied. They
should know the school policy about bullying, so they know what to do if they come across it. Staff
should be trained to manage bullying situations. They may also need training so they can help children
at risk of bullying due to special needs or differences. An atmosphere of respecting each other is
needed, in which it does not matter if people are different from each other. On a wider scale, laws on
discrimination and harassment also help prevent bullying.

Bullying nowadays can protrude even out of the school premises, for example there was a reported case
from the Form 2 boys of a student that was constantly being teased and this passed to outside the
school to what is called Cyberbullying. Due wide technology updates students can access phone and
they misuse the phone on sending inappropriate comments and hurting each other. All these areas have
to be dealt with and bullying must be eradicated.

The above pictures show and indicate harsh treatment done to other students. They clearly reveal the
ugliness of bullying. The effects of bullying are long lasting and some children never get over it. The
bullies too need care because in most situations the bullies may be facing problems at home and are
frustrated.