School bullying is gaining ground

School bullying does exist in the country. This phenomenon is present in establishments.

Stop. More and more young people are experiencing harassment. Currently, this phenomenon is gaining momentum in schools. According to the figures mentioned by Imaso-Ivoho, 58% of children are victims of harassment at school, of which 53.7% are girls and 46.3% are boys. Data published by this organization states that harassment does exist in the country. This scourge affects girls more than boys. According to statistics, more than half of students suffer from bullying at school. And this violence presents itself in several forms: fights, mockery, insults, theft, beatings, shoving, group exclusion, and can occur both inside and outside schools.

A mother, wishing to remain anonymous, shares the testimony of her daughter, victim of school bullying: “My child is in the 12th grade. We had to move and she was admitted to a French-speaking school. She does not speak the language fluently, and her friends criticized and made fun of her. Tired of this situation, she no longer wanted to continue her studies.” For some students, dropping out seems to be the best option to escape the violence they experience at school. This case is not isolated. Another victim of school bullying also testifies.

Violence morale

Her name is Jessica, a 16-year-old teenager who studies in a public school in Andoharanofotsy and has suffered moral violence. “Classmates or even students in my high school often speak to me with racist remarks. They call me ‘Senegalese’ or other similar terms because of my complexion. Sometimes I prefer to skip class and go away for a while. But when I come back, it’s always the same story.” The young girl says she had to change establishments to escape this situation.

Boys are not spared from school bullying either. “Because of my height, my friends treat me differently. The latter often beat me, given that I am the youngest of the group,” says Tojo, a high school student at a private school in Anosizato. “I have already reported them to the administration. And it calmed down a little, but a few days later, they come back with their habits,” he adds.

“School bullying leaves trauma, after-effects and serious consequences for victims. Abandonment, suicide, isolation, loss of self-confidence can be the consequences of bullying at school,” according to psychologists’ explanations. In addition, trauma causes psychological and physical after-effects impacting the personal development of victims.

Psychological and emotional support is really important for victims of school bullying. Fortunately, associations exist to fight against school bullying, which greatly help victims to feel less alone by sharing their experiences, but also to raise awareness of this scourge while inspiring actions for positive change. These are the objectives of the sharing and testimonies for victims of school bullying, initiated by the Association Stop Harcèlement Scolaire on its Facebook page.

The fight against school bullying is a collective responsibility that concerns parents, teachers and students, each having a role to play in eradicating this phenomenon.

Thank you Ida