Bullying

Last week the CC Gazette Club discussed some of the factors that are leading to increased incidents of bullying among children and students. The tragic news of Amanda Todd ‘s death has sparked outrage and debate among CC students, many of whom, have also had experiences with bullying. Even though our club members come from different backgrounds/countries, all are familiar with this issue, however it was commonly noted that bullying in Canada appears to be more extreme.

The group assessed that easy Internet access, insufficient family support and peer pressure were key factors that lead to increased incidents of bulling. The Internet and social media has unfortunately provided bullies a new means to tease and damage the character and reputations of their victims.

As one student (Harkamal) suggested, in reference to the movie “Dark Night”, when referring to bullies, “Some people are born bad”. The group was divided on this opinion, while some agreed with this point, others took the position that no one is born a bully, but it is the circumstances and personal experiences that build fear, anger and destructive behaviour. It was further suggested that lack of attention, self-value and confidence can cause a person to become a bully.

The group agreed to think about possible solutions to this growing problem and came up with the following advice:

For Parents:
Communication between parents and children at an early age is strongly recommended. When a child is going through the “teens” period it may be too late to effectively establish relationships based on trust, love, and respect.
Share family values, guidance, and respect lines of what is good to post online.

For Students:
Look for help at home, at school, or with an organization, and don’t stop until you find someone who cares and listen to you. Call the police if you have to.
Don’t do anything to prove your peers you are cool, especially if it doesn’t feel right. A real friend would not ask you to do something that will hurt you.