Being aggressive and unwanted behavior among school-going children, bullying causes emotional instabilities among victims. The problem continues to exist in society because of power imbalance (Stopbullying.gov, 2019). Characteristics of bullying include an imbalance of power and the behavior is repeatedly against the same victim. It takes various forms; hence, the need to understand the victims well and take interventions that would protect them from the torture since it will have lasting effects.
Types of Bullying
First, Amanda was subjected to verbal bullying. It is a type of bullying where some people call others names, especially school-going children. For example, she was told that she was stunningly beautiful and perfect and other sorts of names (ChiaVideos, 2012). One year later, the bully sent her a message on Facebook blackmailing her to hold a show for her failure to which she will send nude pictures. Based on this information, it is evident that Amanda Todd underwent verbal bullying.
The other type of bullying she underwent was sexual bullying. Her bully made good their threats and sent and sent her pictures to everyone, including friends and relatives. The police were trying to investigate her because her picture was going around. The bully violated her rights by exposing her private pictures to everyone (ChiaVideos, 2012). The aftermath was depression and anxiety that drove her to take drugs and alcohol. Thirdly, Amanda was subjected to physical bullying when she was punched several times by group students, including her friend in her new school.
Consequences of Bullying
First, Amanda Todd underwent depression because someone had breached her privacy rights. She developed a feeling of sadness and rejection as a result of the exposure. Children exposed to verbal or physical bullying can overcome the scars but depression is a lasting problem. The incident affects their self-esteem and in the process, they feel useless and unwanted (Rivara & Menestrel, 2016). If left untreated, depression can cause severe health problems in the long-term.
The other effect of bullying is anxiety. Based on the experience she underwent, she developed fear forever situation since she did not know what to expect in the future. The child developed a fear for socialization and could not feel comfortable in any social environment. The third effect is that she developed panic disorder and she could not feel safe in any situation (Rivara & Menestrel, 2016). Failure to identify and manage these issues could lead to long-term effects that would negatively affect her emotional stability. The ways she tried to manage these effects include taking drugs and alcohol and opted to stay indoors when her anxiety got worse.
Strategies to Manage the Effects of Bullying
The authorities, parents, and teachers could have prevented episodes of bullying by investigating the bully and taking legal action. For example, investigative agencies could have tracked the owner of the Facebook account and hold him to account to stop further episodes. Secondly, the parents and relevant agencies could have offered appropriate guidance and counseling to her to overcome the drama (Olweus, 2013). After realizing that the daughter was undergoing bullying, they could have improved supervision and manage her aggressive behavior as the authorities try to track down the victim (Rivara & Menestrel, 2016). Good supervision requires professional counselors and should make the victim understand that the problem exists in society and promise that the authority will bring the culprit into account. It is a way of showing love and affection to Amanda.
Comparison of Bullying Taking Place Today and When I Was In High School
Types of bullying that took place while in high school were physical and verbal. Physical bullying happens when individuals use physical actions to bully others, such as punishing younger ones. Physical bullies are stronger and bigger and are aggressive compared to their victims (Rivara & Menestrel, 2016). Unlike physical abuse, verbal bullying involves the use of statements and name-calling to offend others and demean them as well as hurt their feelings (Olweus, 2013). Bullying taking place today include cyberbullying and sexual bullying. Cyberbullying takes place on the internet while sexual abuse involves the use of the internet to refer to others using sexual names to humiliate and harm their reputation.
The first similarity between the above types of bullying is that the behavior is meant to offend and humiliate others. Secondly, bullying cases lead to effects, such as depression and anxiety. However, the first difference is that today’s cases take place over the internet (Rivara & Menestrel, 2016). Secondly, the bully and the victim may not even know each other physically but the behavior hurts the victims. Nevertheless, various agencies should develop measures to prevent any kind of bullying in schools.
Factors Contributing To Bullying Suggest Ways to Prevent Bullying
In this context, the internet is contributing to bullying. Amanda was bullied over the internet since the victim used social sites, such as Facebook to hurt and humiliate her. Secondly, social influence and peer pressure contributed to her bullying. The second bully was a close old friend whose intention was to bully her (Rivara & Menestrel, 2016). Therefore, one can argue that bullying is part of the parenting problem where parents do not perform their responsibilities well at home.
The prevention programs can prevent bullying in schools by changing the behavior of potential bullies. For example, through educational programs, victims and bullies can identify bullying language and actions and avoid it because of the available disciplinary actions (Rivara & Menestrel, 2016). The reporting system can help to report any cases for appropriate disciplinary action. The process would manage potential bullying effects. Thirdly, classroom discussions about the short and long-term effects of bullying would help change aggressive behavior that can lead to bullying.
Conclusion
Bullying is a problem that has persisted in society despite efforts by different stakeholders to prevent it. Types of bullying include physical, verbal or sexual abuse. Contributing factors include social groups, the internet and family backgrounds. Strategies to manage episodes of bullying include guidance and counseling and tracking down the bully and take legal action. Finally, preventive programs prevent bullying by changing individual behaviors, avoiding risk situations and reporting bullying cases for appropriate disciplinary action.
