 |
Joan : |
Hi, everybody. Thanks for joining us this afternoon. Recently, local newspapers have reported a spate of violent incidents involving school children. They have caused some concern in society. Today, we've invited David Lee to talk to us about school violence. |
 |
 |
David : |
Thank you, Joan. Good afternoon, everyone. |
|
|
Joan : |
As a school social worker, you've probably met your fair share of bullies and victims. |
|
|
David : |
Of course. Handling school violence is part of my job, unfortunately. |
|
|
Joan : |
I see! My first question is why is there a rise in number of cases of school violence? |
|
|
David : |
Actually, I don't think there is a rise. In fact, government statistics about the number of cases each year are misleading. According to government figures, in 2001, there were 527 cases of school violence. A year later, the number of cases was down to 427. It went up to 643 cases last year. The numbers don't reflect the real situation. Everyone knows cases of bullying are always under-reported. |
|
|
Joan : |
Why is that, David? Don't victims report bullying to teachers? |
|
|
David : |
Very often, they don't. There are three reasons. Firstly, a lot of violent acts do not happen in front of teachers. A lot of pushing and kicking happen in toilets or in the corridor. If teachers don't see it, how can they know? Secondly, sometimes they take place outside school. For example, some students get beaten up in playgrounds and public toilets. So, it's rather difficult for teachers to intervene even if they know about that. Thirdly, think about the personality of the victims. They just do not want to report violence to teachers. They often think it won't help. |
|
|
Joan : |
Do you think certain types of students are usual targets of bullies? |
|
|
David : |
Yeah, it may sound ridiculous but it's true. These students usually are not outgoing and have few friends at school. They become easy targets because they are less likely to report the abuse to teachers or even parents. In addition, they are very quiet students and have little social interaction with others. They often keep problems to themselves and keep quiet, thinking they will get into more trouble if they do report the bullies. |
|
|
Joan : |
I see. That's why I would never be a victim. I can't shut up! |
|
|
David : |
In fact, your personality does help protect you. We do encourage victims to speak out when they are bullied. In some cases, even parents have no idea about their children's problems at school. They only worry about exam results. Sometimes, even though they know about it, they often keep changing schools. That doesn't solve the problem. |
|
|
Joan : |
What should parents do to help their children then? |
|
|
David : |
What parents should do is to help improve their child's self-esteem. Victims generally have a lower self-esteem because they are often picked on by others. They tend to keep their head down, which somehow attracts more attention from bullies. They can also build up a stronger sense of belonging at school. |
|
|
Joan : |
How can these two things be done? It's not easy for a student to build up a sense of belonging. |
|
|
David : |
They can do that by joining more school activities, especially sports. Sport makes people mentally and physically stronger. This makes the victim more able to solve their own problems. |
|
|
Joan : |
That's true. I understand that. If the victim is more confident and can face the bullies, he is less likely to be beaten up. |
|
|
David : |
Exactly. Bullies were not born to be bullies. When they were younger, they were the same as others. Bullies are not created overnight. They usually start with verbal abuse. They only threaten others. Teachers shouldn't ignore such threats. If they are not stopped, they can develop into future violence. Six or seven years ago, a 14-year-old boy was savagely beaten to death by a group of bullies. The bullies later wanted to get rid of the body and any evidence they might have left. They set the body alight which, luckily attracted attention. It was a tragic example of how extreme bullying can occur when nothing is done to stop it. |
|
|
Joan : |
Yes, I remember that case. I was shocked at what these teenagers could do to another teenager. I really hope that never happens again. |
|
|
David : |
Me too. Actually, reporting everything to the police is not the most appropriate way to deal with school violence. When such cases happen, students should report it to teachers. If not, nothing can be done to help either the bully or the victim. When bullying occurs, the first thing teachers should do is have an internal investigation, not dial 999. Calling the police at this stage only attracts unnecessary media attention, which will make the investigation a lot more difficult. Next, if the seriousness implies police intervention, then the school should report it to the police so that the bullies can be dealt with. Remember, the point of calling the police is not to impose punishment on bullies. Offering assistance to these bullies is more important. If the school can handle the matter themselves, they can then offer counselling sessions to the involved parties. |
|
|
Joan : |
I really agree with you. Media attention often makes things worse. We'll now have a commercial break. If you have any questions for David Lee, our expert social worker, please call 2855 8855. |
