I don't like to say "victim." Victim insinuates that you lost; that you don't possess the capabilities to conquer the vicious cycle of bullying. It tells you what you are. It puts you in a box that is nearly impossible to escape. It doesn't give you the freedom to choose. Shouldn't you have the opportunity to decide who you are?
I don't like the word "bully." Yes, it has a terrifying connotation for parents, families, and children all around the world, but it also gives the person a label. It sets the person aside from the rest of society. Yet, inclusivity is the basis of the end of bullying. I find some irony in that concept in relation to the word "bully." I find it difficult to categorize those who may be hurting into a feared club. If kindness is a demonstration of inclusion, why decline a decent percentage of the population?
Yet, I still get chills up my spine when I think about bullying, getting bullied.
Some studies cite that 77% of the population has been bullied at some point in their life. 77%. Almost 4 out of every 5 students. Almost 4 out of every 5 students may fear seeing the ones who made their lives miserable, they may reflect upon their experiences when walking into a new experience, they may remember specific instances in their lives they only want to forget. 77%.
Therefore, to the hurt ones, I understand. Bullying carves its initials on your heart and never leaves. You remember the names of those who stood against you, you recognize the anxiety and frustration that comes with the apparent inability to change how you are treated.
But, to those who aren't hurt, you still play a part on this team. You are one of the 23% that claims to have not been bullied in their lives. You come in not as a hero, but as a teammate. The few that don't possess the experiences that many others have are required to be assistants of helping those who do have these experiences.
I'm not naive about the concept of bullying. I know it may never end, but 77% is too high of a percentage for bullying. How possible is it to reverse these percentages? Will it ever be possible to have 77% who have never been bullied?
It is difficult discussing bullying, therefore it will be difficult to decrease it. We have the education, we must start implementing these lessons into our day to day life. We will have a more efficient and successful society if bullying is addressed and the abilities of this experiences are understood.
Won't we?
