OpinionBullying is not just a ‘youth’ issue, it’s a problem for all of society – and it’s getting worse

Videos of pupils being beaten by classmates are only the most visible signs of a growing problem in Hong Kong

Yet, given the prevalence of bullying among adults, and the viral nature of bullying videos which makes viewers complicit, a society-wide effort is clearly needed to tackle the problem

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Numerous studies and surveys show that cases of bullying and cyberbullying are on the rise in Hong Kong. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 6:45am, 4 Jul 2022

A recent video that went viral showed a 12-year-old girl, on her knees, being slapped in the face about 20 times by a group of teenagers on a rooftop. Like the many videos that have gone viral before – one from 2020 showing a young girl being ordered to eat sand from a fire bucket and hit on the head and arms with the bucket lid comes to mind – it documents a stubborn problem that has not gone away.

Bullying has arguably existed since the beginning of human civilisation. At its core is power play. It is about creating and taking advantage of an imbalance of power, whether it lies in muscle strength or headcount, or both. It’s the deliberate and repeated use of aggression, whether verbal or physical, to cause harm. It’s not harmless playground scuffles. Yet we, as a community, have failed to address it.

Numerous studies and surveys have pointed to an alarming situation. Despite the suspension of in-person classes when the city was grappling with Covid-19 in 2021, bullying at Hong Kong’s primary and secondary schools hit a 10-year high; reported cases jumped more than 50 per cent from the previous year.

According to the latest Education Bureau figures revealed to the Legislative Council, reported cyberbullying cases in the city’s public primary and secondary schools have almost doubled in the past four years.

The impact of bullying on mental health and development is enormous. Photo: Getty Images

Research conducted by NGOs has painted an even grimmer picture. One study, by Save the Children, found that almost 25 per cent of students surveyed were often or always worried about being bullied or having to deal with violence from other children and young people. One in four Hong Kong children live in constant fear and feel under threat.

The impact of bullying on mental health and development is enormous. To have engaged in or to have been on the receiving end of repeated and intentional harm will obviously have lasting effects that go beyond the school years. And, indeed, bullying occurs every day inside homes and workplaces.