Bullying : Killing the Human Spirit
The effects of bullying on a young child could be potentially devastating to the emotional self.
I have seen terrible effects of bullying on many of my patients which persisted up to their adulthood. Hence, I firmly believe that young children need to be allowed to express their feelings of being bullied and be guided on how to assert themselves against the bully and be empowered to protect their self esteem and dignity.
Child bully must be taken seriously!
Children who were bullied often suffers from a condition called Learn Helplessness. This term was coin by famous psychologist called Martin Seligman. The child would feel trapped in a cycle of being bullied and feeling powerless and subsequently suffers further bullying by the assailant. Sometimes the child would become a bully themselves as a defence mechanism.
The first step is to allow the child to have a safe place to express his/her experiences of being bullied or abused. Do not be judgmental . Try to empathize.
The child need to be educated about his/her rights for self protection and dignity. Skills such as assertive and communication skills are of great importance. Help the child to speak up. If the bully is resistant to warning, then higher authorities need to be alerted. If necessary, police may need to be involved if there are elements of criminal intimidation or assault.
The child need to be taught and empowered to be a SURVIVOR and NOT a victim.