Page 30 - FWG Issue 5 June 2024

Today’s Child

HOW TO DEAL WITH BULLYING BEHAVIOUR

B Y NICOLA KILL OPS

ullying is a pandemic. Bullies Why do some children bully others? Safe Schools Programme, which works with
comes in all shapes and sizes, and Bullying is intentional, repetitive and the schools to ensure safe school environments
sometimes, the act of bullying is so result of an imbalance of power. Children needed for successful teaching and
Bsubtle that it is almost impossible who bully are often deeply insecure and learning. According to a study conducted
for the victim to articulate or pinpoint. need to empower themselves by weakening by Safe Schools, bullying is rampant in
It can be physical, psychological or others. There are often issues at home that South African schools with about 3.2 million
emotional. leave the child desperate for attention, and children being bullied annually.
they lash out elsewhere instead of at the
But what is bullying exactly? On the surface, root of their emotional pain. When surveyed, children defined bullying
it’s about children having disagreements or Delving deeper, it’s often discovered that as both verbal and physical abuse, and
getting into moods and taking this out on a the bully is or was themself a victim of more than 67% of children who had been
vulnerable child. On a deeper level, it’s about bullying at some point. It’s a distorted way bullied did not seek help from an adult
a child showing a disturbingly mean streak of paying it forward to regain self-esteem. because they didn’t believe it would do
and going all out to pick on one or more of any good or they feared that reporting it
his or her peers and to then ostracise them Ensuring safety at school could make the situation worse. In South
by teasing, mocking, humiliating, belittling The Western Cape Education Department Africa, there is a lot of pressure on children
or physically attacking them. has established a plan of action called the and adults not to be labelled a “snitch”,

Fourways Gardens • 28 • June 2024