School violence is a serious problem that affects students, families, and society. Increasing reporting rates and preventing it requires a reliable system, cooperation between teachers and parents, and increased counseling and education in schools.
In South Korea, school violence is no longer a mild growing pains for children. It has become increasingly serious and has expanded to include violent crimes. The incidents are becoming more frequent, and every student in school has at least once witnessed or heard about a case of bullying from their peers. This is not just a personal issue, but can have serious repercussions for families, communities, and even entire nations. The emotional and psychological scars caused by school violence can last a lifetime, making it difficult for young people to fit into society as adults.
Despite the fact that bullying is increasingly recognized as a major social problem, students are still under-reporting bullying. As you might expect, the main reason students don’t report bullying, even when they see it themselves, is the fear of becoming a victim of bullying themselves. They also often don’t want to get involved and get in trouble. Many students don’t know what to do about bullying, so they turn a blind eye. And even if students do report bullying, some educators may try to cover it up for fear of tarnishing the school’s image. Poorly trained educators can contribute to students’ silence about bullying. The aforementioned reasons for inaction could have been addressed with proper action by educators. This suggests that educators should prioritize the safety and mental health of students rather than simply covering up the problem.
The first step to increasing reporting rates of school violence is to create a system that students can trust. Students who witness school violence are much more likely to report it if they know that both the victim and the reporter will be kept safe if they do so. One way to do this is to provide complete confidentiality and no retaliation. This would also require tougher penalties for the perpetrators. We also need to help change the perception that school violence is no longer someone else’s problem, and that you can be a victim of it. This shift in perception needs to be accompanied by ongoing education of teachers and parents, and it needs to be discussed and addressed at home and in the community, not just at school.
Ensuring that students know where and how to go to report bullying is also key to increasing reporting rates. Gathering students in an auditorium and delivering a bland speech is not the best way to increase reporting rates. These days, we can communicate with people on the other side of the world in real time on social media. Social media is more powerful than you think. It’s a good idea to utilize these mediums to promote reporting. It can be a much more efficient way to address bullying than wasting paper, handing out handouts, and spending time in an auditorium. These online platforms offer anonymity and can create an environment where students feel comfortable reporting.
As a way to increase reporting rates, reducing the number of incidents of school violence is also very important as the most fundamental measure. School violence is not a problem that can be solved with formal policies, such as simply having a school police presence. The sensitive emotions of adolescents are involved, so the problem-solving process must be designed with plenty of communication. Having a counselor in each school to focus on listening to students can also play a big role in reducing school violence. Along with this, teachers need to build trusting relationships with students, creating an environment where they feel comfortable to speak up and not hide their concerns or problems. Schools should also regularly reinforce school violence prevention education and help students gain a deeper understanding of what school violence is and its impact.
Finally, attention and prevention of bullying needs to start at home. Parents should talk to their children to understand what they are experiencing at school and be ready to intervene immediately if necessary. This is an important role for schools and families to play in working together to provide a safe learning environment for students. When these efforts are combined, the problem of school violence can be addressed more effectively.
