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Understanding and Acting Against School Bullying and Cyberbulling

By Marcia Banks - Original article taken from one submitted by Yves Zieba, with permission.

Why It Matters

Bullying of any kind can leave lasting scars. Unlike everyday conflicts or “kids’ squabbles,” bullying is one-sided, ongoing, and destructive. It is built upon three pillars:

  • Repetition – aggression happens again and again
  • Violence – physical, verbal, psychological, or digital
  • Domination – an imbalance of power that traps the victim

Forms of Bullying

Traditional Bullying

  • Physical: hitting, shoving, stealing, damaging belongings
  • Verbal: insults, humiliation, hurtful nicknames
  • Social: exclusion, rumors, rejection

Cyberbullying

  • Digital: threats, online shaming, spreading images or videos

What Makes Cyberbullying Different?

Cyberbullying is bullying carried out through digital technologies. It has distinct features that make it especially harmful:

  • Relentless - reaches beyond school walls, often 24/7
  • Anonymity – perpetrators may remain hidden
  • Virality – harmful content spreads quickly and widely
  • Permanence – once posted, offensive content can be very difficult to remove
  • Accessibility – bullies can target victims anytime, anywhere

Cyberbullying often overlaps with face-to-face bullying, yet it leaves a digital footprint, evidence that can be used to address abuse.

Examples of Cyberbullying

  • Spreading lies or posting embarrassing images/videos
  • Sending hurtful or threatening messages
  • Impersonating someone with fake accounts
  • Using AI tools for harassment
  • Ghosting, griefing, or outing on social media

How Common Is It?

Switzerland

  • 19% of 15-year-olds mocked (PISA 2023 vs. 11% in 2015)
  • 13% experience frequent bullying, 11% rumors, 7% threats
  • 57% insulted in private messages, 22% ridiculed online (JAMES 2024)

Europe

  • 23–30% of students (11–15) bullied
  • Cyberbullying: 10–52% depending on country
  • 6% of adolescents admit bullying others
  • 1 in 5 children in 30 countries have skipped school because of cyberbullying
  • Only 11% of teenagers discussed incidents with parents

Worldwide

  • 30–33% of adolescents bullied
  • 1 in 3 victims of cyberbullying (UNICEF)
  • Likely underestimated: many victims remain silent

Impacts of Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is relentless and difficult to escape. Its effects are wide-ranging:

  • Psychological: anxiety, depression, loss of confidence, suicidal thoughts in extreme cases
  • Academic: falling grades, loss of focus, reduced motivation
  • Attendance: increased school absenteeism to avoid tormentors
  • Physical: sleep disturbances, stomach aches, headaches
  • Social: isolation, withdrawal from friends and activities

How Teachers Can Act

Recognize Warning Signs

  • Emotional distress, withdrawal, fearfulness
  • Sudden changes in friendships or social groups
  • Drop in academic performance or motivation
  • References to “drama,” “haters,” or online conflict

Prevent

  • Teach digital citizenship and respectful online use
  • Establish clear classroom norms and create a digital use charter
  • Run workshops and awareness sessions

Detect

  • Watch for isolation, deleted social media accounts, sudden anxiety
  • Notice changes in peer groups or patterns of conflict

Respond

  • Listen calmly without judgment
  • Document incidents and collect digital evidence
  • Involve school leadership, colleagues, parents, and school psychologists

Support & Intervention

  • Use approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Apply the Shared Concern Approach (constructive accountability)
  • Encourage peer mediation and ambassador programs
  • Implement structured peer support and bystander intervention
  • Provide staff training on digital habits and reporting mechanisms
  • Adopt curricula that combine online safety with practical cybersecurity training

Guidance for Parents

  • Talk openly with children about online experiences
  • Remind them not to retaliate—this often escalates conflict
  • Listen without judgment or minimizing
  • Save evidence: take screenshots, copy URLs
  • Report incidents to school staff, promptly
  • Maintain open communication and monitor online activity appropriately
  • Seek psychological support, if needed

Key Insights

  • Many victims of cyberbullying suffer in silence—stronger support systems are needed from schools, families, and peers.
  • Bullying and cyberbullying harm confidence, learning, and wellbeing worldwide.
  • Prevention works: emotional education, clear rules, empathy, and collective action reduce behavioral issues, and increase student self-efficacy.

A Few Useful Websites