Bullying As An Acceptable Schoolyard - 1486 Words

When people say â€Å"bully†, the image of the mean kid on the playground who wants to take your lunch money or force you to do their homework comes to mind. However, this perception of bullying as an acceptable schoolyard â€Å"rite of passage† is incredibly antiquated and hardly encompasses the seriousness of the issue that â€Å"bullying† has become. Bullies today are much crueler; they may carry weapons on school campuses, and thanks to social media, can follow the victim into their homes. In some of the most extreme cases in the last few decades have resulted in young victims who have attempted/succeeded in committing suicide. The emotional damage, the social crippling, and seeing no foreseeable end to the torment, but the option to end one’s life;†¦show more content†¦Most people can remember a time when they were bullied or were a bully. We can often identify the potential victims of bullying, based on our stereotypes. Sometimes it can even be considered a matter of tradition and ritual; this is seen in the â€Å"hazing† practices of clubs. Today’s bullying is much more aggressive, persistent, and damaging. The message sent to society is that bullying is not serious and has allowed it to evolve and perpetuate into the serious social consideration that we now face today. Bullying is a rapidly growing issue all over the world. While the UK calculates the number of bullied children at approximately 23%, this is much lower than the United States 76%, and finally China, which claims the lowest percentage. However, while the percentages may vary, what they all have in common is that they are all â€Å"on the rise†. Studies on bullying have broken down the types of bullying that are most common. Verbal bullying: this includes name calling, mockery, and insults. Relational Aggression/Emotional bullying: the â€Å"clique† mentality of students. The ostracizing and rumor spreading that is used to ruin the person’s social standing and reputation. Sexual bullying: the ostracizing and the ruining of someone’s reputation through sexual gossip. Prejudicial bullying: focuses on individuals of differing