Preventing Bullying

"It's just a joke", some say dismissively. "It hurts me", another thinks silently, gritting his teeth. Bullying is not an ordinary domestic dispute, not a "personality conflict", not a "problem that will grow out". It is a repeated act designed to humiliate, isolate, control, or destroy another person's confidence or strength.

The primary goal of bullying prevention is to educate children and young people about the risks of bullying and harassment, and to identify effective ways to prevent these behaviors. Bullying takes various forms, each representing an unacceptable display of violence, neglect, and unjustified pressure on the victim.

It can manifest in the following ways:

• Verbal abuse, humiliation, and gossip.
• Social isolation, ignoring, and exclusion from the community.
• Threats, intimidation, and blackmail.
• Cyberbullying in comments, chats, and social media.
• Physical violence.

Bullying is not always immediately visible, but it almost always leaves painful consequences, traumatic experiences, and lasting changes in social behavior. Children and young people are often reluctant to share such experiences with their parents or teachers, withdrawing into themselves and not always correctly interpreting what is happening in a community that is hostile to them.

What can parents do? We have gathered some tips from psychologists:

• Talk to your child regularly. Ask not only 'what did you eat', but also 'how did you feel today', and 'did someone hurt you?'
• Teach your child to say 'no' and protect their boundaries, while also helping them understand and respect them.
• Explain the difference between 'fighting' and 'being systematically bullied'; these are different situations and need to be treated accordingly.
• Do not belittle your child's feelings. If they share their pain, that is a significant step.
• Take action if necessary. Suppose you suspect bullying, contact teachers, a school psychologist, or the school administration.

Most often, we hear about bullying in schools and other communities of children and adolescents. It is common for an unformed psyche to accumulate aggression, show cruelty, and assert itself at the expense of others because of the rules of the organization in which the child finds itself. Mobbing is not only a problem between two conflicting parties; it is also an environmental issue that needs to be prevented.

What can each of us do?

• Listen without judgment and without saying, 'it's your fault."
• Support. A voice of support can become a pillar of strength.
• Speak out. Indifference is tacit agreement with the aggressor.

Kindness is a choice. The more people who choose kindness, the less pain there will be. Keep this to yourself. Please share it. Discuss it with your children at home. Bullying is not someone else's problem; it is a shared responsibility.