Bullying in schools: how to detect it?

Despite the fact that schools are a crucial space for the education of children and young people, unfortunately they are not always the safest environment. Bullying, known as bullying, has become sadly common in schools, and is one of the most serious problems to deal with.

With bullying, what should be a space of tranquility and healthy socialization among young people is becomes a hostile place that can greatly affect the mental health of the young person and seriously compromise their future of him

For all these reasons, it is very important to know how to detect a case of this type and act on time. It is necessary to detect the various signals that boys and girls can send us and prevent bullying from going unnoticed. Most of the time, however, bullies look for ways to keep the bullying hidden, and this complicates early detection. Next, We present you what bullying consists of and we give you some clues that will help you to detect it..

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What is bullying in schools?

Bullying is not a fight or occasional discussion between peers. To be considered harassment, it must last over time and be more or less constant, to the point of seriously affecting the mental health of the harassed. It is also important to note that bullying is not only physical, but can also take the form of insults, harassment, invasions of privacy, etc.

The specialists distinguish 4 ways in which this bullying manifests itself:

• On the one hand, verbal harassment, which focuses exclusively on language and excludes physical abuse. Sometimes seemingly trivial situations can turn into bullying, such as ridiculing a classmate or calling them names with the intention of hurting them.
• On the other (and this is the easiest to detect), there is physical harassment, in which it comes to blows and leaves physical scars on the harassed person.
• Cyberbullying is a very current modality and is based on harassment through social networks or other digital media. There have been numerous cases of young people who have uploaded recordings of a partner or partner in intimate situations to embarrass them in front of the whole world, or to blackmail them. Despite not strictly occurring on the school grounds, it does occur among classmates.
• Finally, we have covert bullying, which is very difficult to discern, since instead of being through direct insults or mistreatment, it occurs through rumors or jokes.

How to detect bullying at school?

Above all, the most important thing is not to let our guard down and stay alert to any indication that may call our attention. Next, we give you a series of possible behaviors that can give you some clue that something is wrong with your child. Remember that, many times, the harassed hides the bullying that he suffers, or because of shame or because of a threat from the stalker, among others.

1. He doesn't want to go to class

If your son doesn't want to go to school, he pays attention; It could be plain laziness, but it could also be because he is suffering abuse. Observe if this reluctance lasts over time and if it is accompanied by statements such as "I hate my colleagues", For example.

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2. He avoids going out of the house and has no friends

If your child is being bullied, at home he feels safe and secure. Therefore, if you notice that he rarely goes out and that he doesn't meet any classmates outside of school hours either, take an interest. It may be due to shyness, but it could also be that someone is making him suffer at school.

It is quite common for the harassed to isolate himself socially, either out of fear or because the harasser himself encourages others to ignore him. Be that as it may, if you see that your child does not have friends or does not talk to you about any, consider that perhaps there is a bullying problem. This is also important for teachers, who They must be attentive during leisure time to detect if any student is always and invariably alone.

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3. poor academic performance

When a person is immersed in a conflictive situation, it is normal for them to have difficulties concentrating on their tasks. If you notice that your child's performance has dropped, pay attention; If you detect other factors such as low spirits, apathy or irritability, you may be facing a bullying problem.

4. His belongings are broken

Sometimes, the harassers abuse the belongings of the harassed, so if you notice that your child he constantly loses things or brings them broken, pay attention, and even more so if when asked he is restless and anxious.

5. behavioral changes

They are probably the easiest to spot. The anxiety and stress that come from enduring bullying lead to changes in your child's behavior. It may be that he is always nervous, that he loses his appetite, that he cannot sleep, that he suffers nightmares... any change significant is worth taking into account when assessing whether he is actually suffering from a process of bullying.