The Scars We Don’t See

Photo by La Fabbrica Dei Sogni

Bullying — the use of force to coerce, tease, or threaten another person — is becoming an increasingly common phenomenon. While it can affect people of any age, children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable, lacking many of the defense mechanisms adults develop over time.

A defining feature of bullying is the perception of an imbalance of physical or social power. Experts classify it as a form of aggressive behavior marked by hostile intent. It can be carried out by a single individual or by a group, in which case it becomes mobbing.

When bullying targets children or teenagers, the consequences can be severe. The impact on their health and development may later surface as depresión, anxiety, suicidal attempts, and even dangerous antisocial behavior if the problem is not addressed early. Justifications for bullying often hinge on differences in social class, race, religion, nationality, disability, gender, or sexual orientation.

Bullying can take root in many environments — schools, families, workplaces, homes, and neighborhoods, where youth gangs can destabilize entire communities. Its forms vary: physical, verbal, relational, cyber, and mobbing when a group is involved.

The rapid expansion of social media has added a new layer of complexity. These platforms have become fertile ground for harassment, giving rise to “cyberbullying,” which unfolds in the virtual world, typically online. Such cases often begin in early adolescence, when young people first acquire mobile devices.

The following is a testimony from Juanita Elizalde, a young woman from Gualeguay, a city in the province of Entre Ríos, Argentina.

Classes........

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