How has bullying changed over past 20 years?

 
          A form of aggression that we all have been gone through at some point in our lives; bullying has been an issue for decades. Over the past 20 years bullying has become worsen and it mostly take place in schools. 20 years ago, it was seen as a dyadic relationship between a bully and the targeted person. It used to happen face-to-face. For example, one of the bigger kids would harass the smaller kid. This mostly happened at break time or in the absence of teachers and parents. 20 years ago they knew who the bully was and how to avoid him/her. It was mostly the bigger kids that used terrorize everyone. Also, twenty years ago there used to be safe place to go to escape the bully.  And most of all it only happened when we come face-to-face with the bully and once you left the place it’s all gone.
          10 years ago, the bullying become more in group forms. These certain groups used to target a person. The people in that particular group considered to be the most popular kids at school. Other people had to follow them blindly because they didn’t want to be a victim themselves. They feared that standing up against them would be the most dangerous thing to do. According to Sterzing, "With any kid, if there are things that set them apart, those will increase the likelihood of them being targeted for bullying.."(Williams). These victims were simply targeted because they were considered different and they were continuously being victimized and harassed.
          Currently, it has become worse than ever. Anyone, anywhere at any time could be targeted. There is no specific person or group that target the victim, it is basically everywhere. Lisa LaGrou, says that; “...social media now allows bullies to torment their victims during all hours of the day.” The use of technology is rapidly increasing. Kids now a days, are exposed to everything and also they don’t have any supervision. In this age bullying is not just limited to certain places but it is everywhere. It is happening more but we see less.

 
 
Works Cited

Williams, Mari Jane. "Study Shows Almost Half of Children with Autism Victimized by Bullies." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 19 Sept. 2012.
LaGrou, Lisa. "How Bullying Has Changed Through The Years." Oakland County Moms. N.p., 05 Mar. 2012. Web. 30 Oct. 2015.

 

How does bullying impact the individuals 

Bullying is rapidly becoming the most common issue in today’s society. Every other person is being bullied. Bullying doesn't only have a negative impact on the targeted person but the whole society including the bully himself. It has linked with various negative outcomes including metal health. The majority of bullying targets are children in school. These children develop low self-esteem. They always have depression, anxiety and feeling of loneliness. Targets of bullying may likely have trust issues with other people and get frustrated over small things. They stopped participating in different activities that they used to enjoy before.  The most extreme outcome of bullying is having suicidal thoughts. The sense of hopelessness experienced by the targeted person can be so intense that it leads them into thinking about finishing their lives.

           Many communities, neighborhoods and institutions are currently facing this issue. The fear of getting harassed is the reason why the society is choosing not to talk on this topic. Any type of harassment or bullying not only affect one individual but also steadily take away the confidence within the community.
  

           When we talk about the impacts of bullying we often tend to focus more about the consequences for the person who has bullied forgetting the fact that the bully is also being affected. The children who start bullying from early ages are more likely to drop out of school, engage in early sexual activities and start developing early drinking habits. They become abusive towards their spouses and children. The ones who witness bully (Bystanders) are also affected by it. These people want to speak but they lack the strength to do that by the fear of being targeted themselves. Not speaking up against it take away their character, their feelings of self-worth and their sense of doing what is right.

Works cited
Hinduja, Sameer, and Justin W. Patchin. "Bullying, Cyberbullying, And Suicide." Archives Of Suicide Research 14.3 (2010): 206-221. Academic Search Complete. Web. 26 Oct. 2015.
Ortega, Rosario, et al. "The Emotional Impact Of Bullying And Cyberbullying On Victims: A European Cross-National Study."Aggressive Behavior 38.5 (2012): 342-356. Academic Search Complete. Web. 26 Oct. 2015.