October is anti-bullying month. Bullying can make people feel alone, unhappy, frightened, and depressed. It can make them feel unsafe on campus, and on their way to and from school. It also affects a person’s self-esteem and a bullied student can lose confidence and may not want to attend college anymore.
Bullying also affects bystanders who may be afraid they could be the next target. Passive bystanders in any bullying situation may suffer from anxiety, shame, and guilt from not being able to intervene or defend a victim.
Bullying can affect a student’s studies; it can cause difficulty in concentration and a decreased ability to focus, and intensely preoccupy a student with thoughts of escape, avoidance, and mental reenactment of recent situations in which they were bullied.
Bullying is painful and humiliating, and leaves the victim feeling helpless, battered, and shamed. If the pain isn’t relieved a student may feel there’s no way out.
Those who are persistently subjected to abusive behaviour are at risk of stress-related illness that can sometimes lead to suicide.
Anyone who believes that bullying is just part of growing up and a way for people to learn to stick up for themselves has never been the victim of bullying. Bullying can have long-term physical and psychological consequences that must be prevented at all costs. By not challenging bullying behaviour, no matter how insignificant, valuable opportunities are lost in shaping society’s needs for building a common respect for each person’s dignity.