Bullying

Assalaam Alaikum (peace and blessings upon all of you).

Over the past four months, I have been writing about various topics pertaining to education. Today, I will be discussing bullying. We all hear of bullying on a daily basis and we assume that bullying is related to physical abuse or aggressive behaviour. However, bullying can occur in many forms and each type affects individuals differently.

Let us begin with the definition of bullying. Bullying takes place when one person intentionally inflicts discomfort or injury upon another through words, physical contact, or other means. Bullying can be categorized into three types – emotional, verbal and physical abuse. Specific bullying behaviours can include name calling, verbal or written abuse, exclusion from activities and social events and physical abuse. Many a time, abused individuals do not speak up for themselves and do not reveal that they are being bullied. They are too embarrassed and ashamed to confess or ask for help, as they fear being perceived as weak or cowardly. They do not realize that by maintaining their silence, they encourage bullies and make them believe that their behaviour is acceptable.

The question here is not why victimized individuals keep silent but rather how can we create awareness and prevent bullying in schools, colleges, universities, offices and many other places. To do this we must encourage individuals to openly discuss bullying or other difficulties with their parents, teachers, or guidance counselor. Talk to your child about bullying and explain to them what needs to be done if somebody is bothering them, calling names or physically abusing them. They need to learn to stand up for themselves as well as for those being bullied. People often witness others being bullied but they do not try to stop the situation from escalating. These people are known as bystanders. Bystanders normally avoid intervening in situations where someone is being bullied due to the fear of becoming a target for bullying themselves. If they speak up against a bully, they could be bullied in retaliation for speaking up. However, they do not realize that by maintaining silence, they are encouraging bullying.

As educators, it is crucial to promote the concept of a community-based classroom. At the beginning of the year, we have to make it clear that everyone in the classroom must be treated with respect. Encouraging a community within the classroom reduces conflicts, which in turn would reduce bullying that stems from differences of ethnicity, beliefs, race and culture.
Together – let us all work towards a bullying-free community!

Fatema Abbas,

SMILE Editor