Bullying

The abuse of power in development

Bullying shares the structural mechanics of power abuse and psychological violence, but occurs at a critical time: during personality formation in childhood and adolescence.

It consists of prolonged exposure to insults, social rejection, physical aggression or cyberbullying perpetrated by peers.

Psychological damage in these early stages has the potential to reshape brain architecture.

Bullied children and adolescents are at significantly increased risk of developing chronic social anxiety, depression, self-injurious behaviors and suicidal ideation, scarring their self-concept for life.

The Bullying Triangle and Bystanders

A common mistake is to analyze bullying only as a problem between aggressor and victim.

The key element that sustains the violence is the group of "bystanders" or witnesses.

Bullying persists thanks to the silence of bystanders, who often remain silent for fear of becoming the next victims or because of a process of progressive desensitization to violence.

This silence grants impunity to the aggressor and validates his behavior in the eyes of the school community.

It is therefore vital to teach children that neutrality in the face of injustice is a form of complicity, and that their intervention or denunciation is fundamental to breaking the cycle.

The school of future violence

The impact of bullying transcends the school stage and has direct implications for adult life.

A child who internalizes learned helplessness - the belief that "being bullied is normal" and "no one will defend me" - has a high probability of suffering revictimization in the future, becoming a victim of partner violence in adulthood.

Alternatively, he may adopt defensive mechanisms and become an aggressor. Therefore, addressing school violence is not only an educational issue, but also a matter of public health and prevention of future gender violence.

Intervention should be systemic, involving families and the school to eradicate the normalization of abuse at its root.

Summary

Bullying occurs durin