Bullying at school: Subtle signs of abuse against children
Non-obvious signs of bullying at school (Illustrative photo: Getty Images)
Bullying is violence that is unacceptable and has painful consequences for mental health. As with most forms of violence, bullying also has some not-so-obvious signs, according to the Ukrainian project How Are You?
Mockery, threats, pushing, damaging personal belongings, harassment, and insults are all bullying. But there are also other forms.
Sometimes these are everyday systematic little things that are hard to recognize as bullying, but they can destroy a child's self-esteem. Adults often do not notice these little things.
Unobvious forms of bullying are no less painful than physical or verbal violence and bullying.
Ignoring or social exclusion
When classmates do not invite a child to a game or cancel their plans if another child has expressed a desire to participate. Also, they organize “secret groups” and certain children are excluded from joint interaction.
Passive aggression
The systematic use of sarcasm or ambiguous comments about other children is an unobvious sign of bullying. “I'm just joking" comments that insult others can be very damaging to a child's self-esteem and can lead to inferiority complexes.
Manipulation and control
Another form of bullying that children face is hidden ways of coercion and negative influence through manipulation and control through deception, psychological pressure, and shifting responsibility for the actions of others.
“If you don't do this, we won't talk to you anymore” is pressure through friendship that systematically and negatively affects a child.
Manipulation can also include situations when a child is “helped” too much to make him or her feel incapable or weak.
Emphasizing differences
A child may be constantly reminded of his or her social status, appearance, or achievements through “innocent” comments that are actually meant to mock.
Passive support for bullying
Those who observe, laugh, or somehow encourage a bully are also participating in bullying. Even inaction, ignoring or avoiding the situation is one of its manifestations.
Experts explain that different forms of bullying can be much more difficult to identify. If your child is depressed or offended after going to school, you should talk to him or her and find out why. Perhaps he or she has experienced non-obvious forms of bullying and it is causing pain.
