The increase in cases of bullying among school children should (at least) shock us, and each of us from our position (parents, teacher, members of associative movements or communication professionals) should put our grain of sand to raise awareness, educate and seek solutions.
On this subject, not everything is bad news since, as you know, we have echoed some pioneering experiences that are taking place in the classrooms of educational centers. Cooperative learning projects in Extremadura, work on emotional relationships in Cantabria, the consolidated PREVI of the Valencian Community that apparently has managed to reduce the episodes of violence.
Inappropriate behaviors through the Internet are sometimes associated with the possibility of rumors, harassment against others and distort the purpose of communication. And this is what is happening in Toledo where 'Half of ESO students have suffered or will suffer cyberbullying during their studies'. Nurse Blanca González has prepared a study in two educational centers (an institute and a private private school) on the incidence of cyberbullying. And has detected that 46.8 percent of ESO's first and third students say they have ever suffered bullying through new technologies, and 2.2 percent of students suffer severe bullying.
Above all they have received offensive messages via mobile phone or internet. But they have also suffered defamation and dissemination of rumors about him, anonymous calls to intimidate them and the theft of passwords from their social networks
The role of observers of school misery
Only 37 percent of harassed children tell their parents and 32 percent don't tell anyone. Usually, the first thing they do is tell their friends, rather than an adult. 'That usually happens because sometimes parents react disproportionately, removing, for example, the internet or mobile connection.'
González bets to solve cyberbullying by raising children's awareness, detection and acting. In his opinion, Observers have a very important role in avoiding it. But mostly they shut up.
Studies show that children who realize that a classmate is experiencing bullying do not count. They do not, because they do not know how to differentiate well what it is to be an accuser, of denouncing something that is damaging a person. In addition, they are afraid that if they open their mouths they may be the next targets in the bullying. But his role is fundamental.
The prototype of a victim of cyberbullying is that of a weak child in terms of physical defects or feelings more to the surface. Hyperactive victims are also victims, because due to their own condition they are sometimes annoying for the rest (although obviously this does not justify harassment behavior).
Yes to technologies, but with common sense and respect for others
The study also shows that 43.4 percent of children, from very early ages, have the computer in their room, connected to the internet, and out of parental control, and up to 93.1 percent the mobile. They are the ones that have more risk.
It's important to know Detect the symptoms of a child suffering from cyberbullying: If you become withdrawn, sleep worse and try not to make family relationships may be suffering bullying. It also looks for longer roads to school, and makes excuses for not attending class.
Cyberbullying can be done twenty-four hours a day, and the child who suffers is startled, for example, when the phone rings
It is necessary to educate children, parents and teachers in the good uses of new technologies. Y establish action protocols against cyberbullying within schools, something that currently does not exist.
According to Blanca González, the figures she has obtained can be extrapolated to all the educational centers in the region. This is what he wants to demonstrate in the future from the extension of the study in a doctoral thesis with two or three colleges of each province.
He also comments, and I can't agree more with her, that in our society there is already more awareness about child abuse, and yet we have not yet woken up to face school bullying and cyberbullying, although we have it in front of our eyes.
The problem will not improve without adults assuming our educational role, without all those who have children and interact in some way with children, we are able to make them see that certain behaviors are not socially accepted, which can harm others, although we can help them interact with respect through the network. That, and provide unconditional support to the victims.
