Topic > A Vision of Individual Responsibility to End Harassment

Essay on Bullying “Bi*ch, Spaz, Nerd, Dork” these are hateful words that child victims hear almost every day. Bullying in today's society has become a bigger problem than ever. The problem reaches its peak in middle school, continues through high school, and sometimes extends into adulthood. Both the bully and the victim can suffer lasting psychological effects. People often use phrases like "Keep a stiff upper lip" and "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me" to counter the side effects, but recently these have proven to be outdated and ineffective. Bullying should never be taken lightly. You need to address it and stop it immediately before the situation gets worse. “No one is born hating another person because of the color of their skin, their background or their religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, because love is more natural to the human heart than its opposite” (Nelson Mandela). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayThose who are bullied are not to blame. Bullies act out of prejudice, hatred and immaturity. Those who engage in bullying desire a sense of power and control. They fight for nothing just to bring their victim down and make him feel superior. A well-known psychologist said: “Bullying is an attempt to instill fear and self-loathing. Being the repetitive target of bullying damages your ability to see yourself as a desirable, capable, and effective individual” (Dombeck, “The Long Term Effects of Bullying). After an accumulated amount of torment, the victim is likely to develop mental health problems such as insomnia, depression, anxiety and eating disorders. There are also long-lasting side effects such as fear, lack of self-confidence, loss of pride and dignity, and irrational thinking. A common reason why bullying isn't stopped is because students are reluctant to ask adults for help. Students are afraid of feeling further shamed into having to deal with their problems alone rather than receiving help. Another reason why bullying often isn't stopped is because the victim's actual witnesses don't speak up. This also has an effect on the victim, it makes them believe that they are completely alone and that no one is on their side, which is not true at all. It was found that 60% of students surveyed had witnessed someone being bullied and had not interfered or asked for help. So much damage could be avoided if people spoke out and took action against bullying. Warren High School has a zero tolerance program for bullying. If an incident is reported to an official, the issue is addressed and resolved immediately. The Downey Unified School District strictly states: “Any student who engages in acts of discrimination, harassment, violence, intimidation, or bullying in connection with a school activity or school attendance occurring within a school in the school district may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including expulsion” (Prevention of Bullying). The system is far from perfect, however it is a step in the right direction bully. Expelling a student for bullying will only send the bully to a different school. The bully will only become a criminal if he continues to be treated as one 0%.