The definition of evolution does not include its inevitable fallout — the birth of dark perennials of social behaviour that strike root on the margins of progress, constantly getting in the way of its pace and purpose. Bullying is one such human behavioural pattern that has apportioned for itself a regrettable place in society and its impact is being felt by millions of parents and children all over the world on a daily basis.
Every day, some child or the other is being bullied at school, throwing his or her emotional and scholastic journey drastically off course, sometimes irreversibly so. In the UAE, bullying is prevalent in schools and has been the subject of much discussion, concern and attention. Many schools have adopted strict measures to tackle this menace but it remains a problem with no easy solutions. The complexity of bullying is, however, reductionist in nature. No child is born a bully. He or she may have aggressive tendencies as a genetic fait accompli but that alone is not the reason for them morphing into bullies. Many factors at play in a child’s upbringing contribute to his or her penchant for bullying. So the more parents, school authorities and counsellors work to prevent children from turning into bullies, the less other children will end up as its victims. It takes tremendous effort to restore a bullied child’s sense of self. But if society can fight on a common ground to prevent that child from being victimised in the first place, it would lead to the difference we are all seeking.
