Bully Sheet

I was listening to Magic 89.9’s late night show Boys’ Night Out (Mondays to Fridays, 9pm to 12 mn) last November 6, and I was surprised to find out that the cool DJs (Slick Rick, Tony Tony, and Sam YG) were actually talking about bullies and bullying. One of them even shared how he was bullied during his high school days at the Ateneo.

When they asked the listeners to text or call in their bullying experiences, most of the responses actually named the persons who bullied them. What was more surprising was that there were some people who actually admitted to have bullied others.

One cool response was by the guy who went by the name Chubby Boy, who named the ones who bullied him in high school and even sent out a message for them: God bless them, wherever they are. (Trust me, I know who this guy is!)

Bullying is a serious topic. I believe that this issue should not be taken lightly. While some would say that bullying or bullies is just a phase or a period in someone’s life, I submit that it should not be considered as such.

What is “bullying?”

The online encyclopeadia Wikipedia defines bullying as “the act of intentionally causing harm to others through verbal harassment, physical assault, or other more subtle methods of coercion such as manipulation.”

The site further added that “in colloquial speech, bullying often describes a form of harassment perpetrated by an abuser who possesses more physical and/or social power and dominance than the victim. The victim of bullying is sometimes referred to as a target.”

Who is the Real Victim?

The way I see it, the real victim of bullying is not always the supposed “target,” but the bully himself/herself. There were studies which pointed to the fact that most of the bullies resorted to physical, verbal, or other forms of abuses because they suffered or is also suffering from the same treatment one way or the other.

Take for example my case. When I was in high school, this guy used to tease me and mimic my every move just for the heck of it. He even called me “buwan” (moon) because of my facial complexion. I endured such treatment for almost two years (we were classmates during my first and second year), only to find out that he was also being bullied by our senior schoolmates. There were also rumors that he came from a broken family.

I am in favor of subjecting the “targets” to emotional and psychological counseling, but I would suggest that the bullies themselves be subjected to the same treatment as well. Perhaps the bullies require counseling more than the targets do.

Bring Up The Topic

It was also noticed that the topic on bullying and bullies (not only in schools but also in the workplace) do not get the attention it requires. The targets would often decide to be quiet about the way bullies treat them. This should never be the case.

Guys, if anyone of you is a victim of bullying or knows anyone who is being bullied, kindly report the same to your/their teachers (in case it is in the school) or to your/their superiors (in case it is in the workplace). If you are the victim, reporting incidents of bullying is the least that you can do to stop it. In case you know someone who is a victim of bullying, reporting the same is the least that you can do to help them.

I commend the DJs of Boys’ Night Out for bringing up the topic (hey, who would have thought that a show which normally speaks about RSJ, LSF, and Sexy Time would discuss bullying?). To Slick Rick, Tony Tony and Sam YG, regards and hope to hear more serious topics from you soon. Apir!