“No more bullying” is more than a teens’ issue. Prevention of bullying is rather a social investment.
Every action aiming at improving the physical and psychological well-being of the youngest has lasting effects on the next generations.
But to be effective, such investment must aim at shaping and reshaping a positive socialization, and it has to inspire positive values.
Bullying represents the negation of every positive value.
It kills trust, respect and self-esteem. He also menaces both physical and psychical well-being.
And its brutality often spreads into society.
Bullying is a social emergency, but also an ethical and cultural priority among teens and tweens.
A positive socialization means promoting a social interaction inspired by positive values such as trust and respect through education instead of punishment. A positive socialization also means letting the problems come out themselves instead of inculpating and incriminating someone elses.
But that doesn’t imply that bullying, harassment and violence are justified as a “game” or as a “caper“.
Violence is always something to condemn and eradicate by anyone, anytime, anywhere.
That is is the only approach possible and worth teaching, both in schools and in families. Bullying is not a normal part of life; nothing can be tolerated that nobody should tolerate. No possibility, no room for bullying should be allowed.
Both schools and families must raise such awareness against bullying in order to shape and reshape tomorrow’s citizens.
The seeds to strengthen the new generations require a favorable ground that must be fueled by trust and self-esteem together with social competencies.
The more bullying is known the less the fear to speak out the greater the courage to stand up to it.
Fighting bullying is more than a moral imperative or a “teens’ issue”.
Fighting bullying and raising awareness about the necessity of “no more bullying” mean setting measurable targets and checking on them regularly.
Without targets nothing gests measured and nothing changes.
And it’s also necessary to go one step further by convincing the young that violence is never the right path.
Anti-bullying initiatives and campaigns can only deliver results if they are systematically delivered throughout the school and the online communities where teens and tweens live their sparetime.
“No more bullying” means creating a sense of justice and guard against discriminations, unconscious or not, in order to help the victims up both those who speak out and those who remain silent and almost invisible.
And then a cultural change must be fueled.
The rewards – a more ethical society and a bully-free world – are worth it.
The power to change and to keep moving forward lies in our hands.
No more bullying is up to us.
