The psychological transition into a bully

A question as old as time itself; is evil born or is it created? The debate of Nature versus nurture boils down to one simple answer, which is; we are a result of both our biology and our environment. All around the world, evil grows in one of the most devastating forms in the most vulnerable of environments. Bullies in schools have the most prominent of influences during vital stages of development during childhood and adolescence. The conception of a bully, however, is controversial, as it is neither black nor white, or good or evil. A study published in the Canadian Ottawa Citizen has shown that numbers of ‘pure’ bullies, who have emerged without a history of being bullied themselves are almost as high as victims of bullying becoming the abusers. This statistic is a highly alarming one, as it not only threatens the rise of victims, but also promises a positive correlation into the increase of bullies. What differentiates bullies that were first victims from those who were not is the tendency for them to have more mental health problems. As a result of having both labels of victim and victimiser, the characteristics that consequently follow are more complex, resulting in impulsivity and aggression; traits that stem from a defensive standpoint, but transform into an offensive one.

An Emirati boy at the age of 10 was bullied when he was in school. For months, being new, he tolerated physical abuse, constant criticism and contempt from a group of boys. Finally, he spoke up to his family and teachers and the issue was resolved. Now, two years later, the mother of the boy who was bullied gets a call from his school counsellor, informing her that two boys have complained about being bullied by her son. When his family spoke to him about it, he didn’t admit it. Rather, he was shocked and confused that he was accused of being a bully. Somehow, the behaviour he was exposed to overrode his own shy, quiet traits and, possibly, subconsciously changed his own. The boy became instinctively defensive by hurting others in order for him not to be hurt, which ultimately resulted in him turning into what he once feared most.

There’s a quote that says: “I survived bullying. Let’s work together so that no one has to ever declare this again.” Working together on this issue is much more complex than simply standing up to bullies and defending yourself. Rather, it is the process of learning how to move on from such an experience without letting it consume you. The transition of victim to bully is an undeniably tragic one because once again, the problem arises. It might not be the individual, but what the individual’s environment exposed him to and changed within him. As a result, I say fix our environment. Not by creating zero tolerance for bullying policies, but instead by focusing explicitly on the potential emergence of bullies and working to counteract that change to the best of our abilities.

- The writer is a 20-year-old Emirati student of psychology at Zayed University in Dubai.