"It is not a children's thing: it is HARASSMENT"This is a phrase that we should 'insert' into the collective imagination, if it were possible to change the entire set of thoughts that in a real or imaginary way do nothing more than feed back erroneous beliefs. And I say wrong because when a minor suffers repeated aggression or humiliation by his peers, and in any of the possible ways, he needs help; even better: the situation needs a review to eradicate the problem and propose preventive actions.
The consequences of bullying are seen at some point, as does any way of exercising violence against children. In fact, a recent study assures that its victims are 'candidates' to suffer mental health problems from adolescence and will last into adulthood. Children are very vulnerable, and too often they become the object of abuse by adults or peers, however when the bullies are schoolmates, the risk increases.
I have introduced that bullying can manifest itself in various ways, and even briefly, I would like to point out that verbal or physical assaults, social exclusion, threats, and - also - sexual harassment, are considered HARASSMENT
The research I have mentioned is called "Adult mental health consequences of peer bullying and maltreatment in childhood: two cohorts in two countries", and can be found in the April issue of The Lancet Psychiatry. Suzet Tanya Lereya and her colleagues belong to the Department of Psychology at the University of Warwick in the UK; and the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, Duke Medical Center in Sheffield.
In recent years, many of the 'suspicions' regarding the impact of violence against children: what for many is still acceptable as if it were a dogma (thus justifying said violence), turn out to be abusive practices that do not benefit the development of a minor, nor interpersonal relationships. Child abuse is unacceptable, whoever the aggressor is, but it is also very likely that the person who suffers it will manifest anxiety, or tend to abuse drugs.
Peer abuse
It is necessary to change the way we relate to children, because they are the root of society. And at the same time, we must focus on the prevention and tackling of school bullying, as the incidence is very worrying (according to him Cisneros X report of 2007 the rate stands at 24 percent in Spain, other studies are also close to that percentage). It is not exactly to underestimate it, since 24 percent is like saying one in four children, and that is a lot. In addition, there is currently no age below which children 'are safe' since bullying behaviors are observed even in early childhood education, and of course until secondary education. Research in The Lancet goes further and places the incidence in one in 3 affected children, according to a review in 38 countries.
I think we should take it more seriously, as bullying between peers can lead to long-term mental health problems, and maintained over time. These consequences can be worse than in the case of children abused by adults (usually relatives).
Consequences of bullying in adulthood
Eva had already introduced us in this post, now I would like to emphasize that the minors who are victims of these aggressions can develop suicidal thoughts and a tendency to depression; episodes of self-harm, and anxiety have also been observed. School bullying is not acceptable, and from that point of view, a social debate must be generated, which makes it possible to make visible policies and actions aimed at its eradication.
The study I am talking about was carried out longitudinally between two cohorts of schoolchildren from the United Kingdom and the United States, and parents also participated in answering questionnaires. The participants in the study, had been 'followed' from the 8 and 9 years, until the 18.
We must not lose sight of the fact that from the age of seven or eight, the role of the family as a reference changes, and the child is moving towards 'outside' the home, so friends, colleagues, and even brothers gain a greater weight. The victim's personality adapts depending on the importance he or she attaches to the people who are most important to him or her at that time, which explains why bullying is so harmful.
It seems clear that bullying has become a public health problem, and coinciding with professionals who work directly on this issue, it is necessary not only to change mentality, but also to train family members and teachers, to warn of the consequences that can be derived. Only a society determined as a whole to eradicate it, can act to lower rates, and alleviate the suffering of hundreds (and thousands) of children around the world.
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