National day against bullying: in Italy one out of two adolescents is a victim
A phenomenon whose more dangerous face is the silence that often accompanies victims and peers
Today, February 7, is the National Day against Bullying and Cyberbullying. Established for the first time in 2017, it aims to raise the awareness of adults and children on a social phenomenon that is unfortunately particularly present among the new generations.
Pope Francis himself also recalled this in the interview with Fabio Fazio last night at “Che tempo che fa”: "Psychologists and sociologists have studied the problem of social aggression well. I stress that the number of juvenile suicides has increased. : there is an aggression that breaks out, just think of bullying in the school. It is a hidden aggression, it is a social problem ".
THE DATA - The data contained in a report released in recent days by “Terre des Hommes” are impressive: 1 out of 2 adolescents is a victim of bullying. In particular, 50% say they are afraid of psychological violence, 44% of bullying and of having felt "deep pain" for discrimination based on sexual orientation, racist offenses, bodyshaming, acts of denigration, violence and incitement to suicide. And 7 out of 10 teenagers online don't feel safe. What worries them most is the risk of cyberbullying (68.8%) followed by revenge porn (60%), identity theft (40.6%) and stalking (35%). But alienation from real life (32.4%), with the creation of unattainable models, is also a source of frustration.
SHAME - Second, however, data collected through the Elisa platform, the online monitoring system aimed at all Italian schools and promoted by MIUR, the sense of shame that often accompanies children and young people who suffer from bullying, often leads to victims to hide and not talk to anyone about what is happening to them.
The most dangerous face of bullying is often the silence that concerns the group of peers in a worrying way, or those who witness episodes of bullying against their peers but do nothing to intervene.
BREAK THE SILENCE - This is why talking about bullying and cyberbullying with young people remains the first, important step to raise awareness among children and limit the risks. Starting with the family and parents.
THE ROLE OF THE FAMILY - "We need closeness with children - Bergoglio recalled yesterday -: when young couples confess or talk to them I always ask: 'Do you play with your children?' Sometimes I hear painful responses: 'Father, when I go out they sleep and when I come back as well.' This is the cruel society that distances parents from children. to the children. Parents who are not close do not work well, they must be almost accomplices of the children, that complicity that allows fathers and children to grow together ".
(Unioneonline / vl)
