Bullying is definitely one of the increasingly widespread phenomena in all structures of society, but the most worrying effects are among students. According to a report by the World Health Organization, Romania ranks 3rd in Europe regarding bullying in schools.

An equally serious statistic is provided by the NGO Save the Children. A national study showed that half of middle school and high school students have been subjected to bullying at some point.

However, the statistics do not reflect the entire reality. Bullying in schools is a complex phenomenon that involves long-lasting devastating effects on the mental and emotional level, considerably affecting the social aspect of the victims’ lives. Fear, humiliation, and imposed complicity contribute to the formation of a vulnerable social environment where relationships between people are compromised.

What is bullying in school?

There is no legal definition of bullying, but it involves intentional hostile behavior and an imbalance of power. We talk about bullying when one person constantly harasses or intimidates another. The aim of this behavior is to physically or emotionally hurt someone.

Bullying in school can occur both inside and outside educational institutions, but bullying is always generated based on relationships created in this environment.

What types of bullying in school exist?

Certainly, this phenomenon can take various forms, among which:

• Verbal bullying – manifested through words, sometimes written, such as teasing, insults, nicknames, sexual comments, threats, humiliation, etc.

• Physical bullying – physical intimidation, harm, group attacks on a person, invading personal space, sexual harassment, theft of belongings, etc.

• Social bullying – devastating emotional effects related to the social aspect of a person. It involves destroying reputation and mainly social connections a person creates. This can mean deliberate exclusion and isolation from a group, putting a student in unpleasant public situations, extreme sarcasm, compromising their well-being and happiness, etc.

• Cyberbullying – with the development of technology, a new form of bullying appeared, involving social networks and other digital environment apps. This includes verbal and social bullying actions carried out online. Often it involves compromising images of a student on social media, spreading false information about them, identity theft, and actions taken in their name, etc.

What motivates bullying in school and who can become a victim?

Prejudice is the basis of this form of aggression. Often, harassment is related to a person's physical characteristics. Unfortunately, many children become victims of bullying because of their religion, ethnicity, social status, needs, or disabilities.

Also, a child can be subjected to such aggression if the following are noticed:

• Low self-esteem;

• Tendency to withdraw;

• Anxiety;

• Lack of ability to defend themselves;

• Absence of friends, etc.

The psychological and emotional effects can be overwhelming for children who are victims of bullying. Constantly subjected to such aggression, regardless of its type, victims face depression, low self-esteem, social isolation, and even suicidal thoughts.

For this reason, the main priority of parents and teachers is to pay attention to factors that may signal bullying. Unfortunately, many students who are bullied at school do not communicate this to their parents and silently endure the suffering.

What are the main signs of a student experiencing bullying in school?

• Torn clothes or damaged belongings (books, phone, etc.);

• Unexplained wounds or injuries;

• Hesitation about going to school;

• Decreased appetite or drastic changes in eating habits;

• Insomnia, frequent nightmares;

• Tendency to withdraw, refusing communication;

• Poor academic performance;

• Self-harm, etc.

Recognizing these signs by parents is essential to take measures against this aggression. Bullying in school causes serious consequences on children’s health, producing long-term effects on their families as well. Therefore, it is fundamental that adults are aware of and deeply understand the traumatic impact of bullying.

What measures can parents take to protect their children?

Regarding this phenomenon present in schools, parents, teachers, and authorities must collaborate to prevent and reduce forms of aggression by applying protection and safety measures.

For parents, the priority is to pay special attention to their child's behavior. Honest and open discussions with the child are the first step, offering empathy, support, and unconditional understanding. It is important that parents:

• Maintain transparent communication with the child, discussing the consequences of bullying;

• Discuss assertive strategies to respond to bullying (for example, requesting teachers' support to resolve possible conflicts);

• Encourage the child to act rationally and correctly in aggressive situations to discourage the aggressor;

• Communicate the child's special qualities, making them feel valuable.

Regarding educational institutions, national measures have been adopted to prevent and combat this phenomenon. Currently, the focus is on raising awareness and ensuring a favorable school climate for activities.

At the school level, anti-bullying measures include:

• Developing information programs on the causes, consequences, prevention of bullying, and case management;

• Creating intervention procedures for bullying in school;

• Constant monitoring of high-risk bullying areas (schoolyard, hallways, sports field) using video surveillance systems to prevent aggression cases;

• Involving parents in information sessions and agreeing on measures for child protection and safety;

• Identifying and providing psychological support to students who become bullying victims;

• Fair evaluation of student performance to reduce tensions that cause bullying.

Conclusions

Bullying in school is a real phenomenon, increasingly present among students. Due to aggression, regardless of its type, students face emotional problems that are difficult to manage, some with repercussions in adulthood.

For them, school is not just a place to strive for academic achievements but also the ideal setting for students’ socio-emotional learning. For this reason, ensuring an educational climate conducive to learning and promoting positive social relationships among students is a national priority.