pleasure from unleashing
their cruelty and wrath on
the “weak”. To make things
worse, they are often feared
or praised by their on-
lookers and supporters.
There are many forms of
bullying – those that can be
identified easily and those
that are more subtle and
almost unidentifiable.
BULLYING
A SHAMEFUL ACT
I
was only three years old when I tried to
end my life for the first time – because I
was the victim of severe bullying. It was
only when I reached the age of fifteen that
I finally gave up on my futile attempts to
end my life. By that time, I had cut both
my wrists and I had even tried to starve
myself. I went out at night, hoping that
someone would kill me. I can remember
the first time I tried to end it all. I was
hurting so badly that I even wet myself. I
waited for a passing car and ran straight
into it and, although I was hit, I survived
the “accident”.
If not handled correctly, the effects of
bullying can be long-lasting or even
permanent. Ever since basic school, kids
had always bullied me, because I was
considered to be dunce (i.e. someone who
is seen as stupid or slow at learning). I had
no friends. Everyone, including my sisters,
avoided me and, in this way, I became
totally isolated. I cried endlessly, but
without a support system, there was no
solution. The teachers ignored me too and
did not do anything to support me.
This single act caused me to feel intensely
The BrighterLife Magazine | Page 05
rejected for years. Even now, I tend to
withdraw at times, keeping myself from
participating in things – simply because I don't
want people to see that I am dyslexic. I am
afraid to relive the horror of my childhood
years. The fact that an individual or a group
can cause such severe harm to someone is, in
itself, a shameful act.
Bullying, which is not a new phenomenon,
resembles a lion and its prey. Lions usually kill
their prey by strangling it, biting down on the
animal's throat or its mouth and nose,
resulting in quick death. A bully also attacks
swiftly and powerfully, inflicting emotional and
or physical damage to their victims. Bullying
involves a distinctive pattern of harming and
humiliating others – specifically those who are
in some way smaller, weaker, younger, or more
vulnerable than the bully. The adverse
consequences of bullying for the victim/s is
disturbing. The victims often displays lack of
self-esteem, loss of self-confidence, social
isolation, depression, suicidal tendencies,
decreased academic performance and
absenteeism from school, work, or social
activities. Bullies consider themselves to be
strong and untouchable and they derive great
The most common types of
bullying include physical
bullying, verbal bullying,
social bullying and cyber
bullying. Physical bullying,
which includes hitting,
kicking, tripping, pinching
and pushing or damaging
personal property, causes
both short-term and long-
term damage to the victim.
Verbal bullying includes
name-calling, insults, teasing,
intimidation, homophobic or
racist remarks and other
types of verbal abuse.
Although verbal bullying may
start off harmless, it can
escalate to levels with severe
effects on the individual
target.
Social bullying, sometimes
referred to as covert bullying,
is often harder to recognize
and can be carried out
behi nd the victim's back. It is
designed to harm someone's
social reputation and/or
cause humiliation. Social
bullying includes: lying and
spreading rumours, negative
facial or physical gestures,
menacing or contemptuous
looks, playing nasty jokes to
embarrass and humiliate,
mimicking unkindly,
encouraging others to
socially exclude someone
and damaging someone's
social reputation or social
acceptance. Cyber bullying,
which is a phenomenon of