ArticleHow Does Christians Deal With Bullying

The phenomenon of bullying or better known as bullying is not new. Since ancient times, bullying has existed in many different forms. Bullying can happen anywhere, even in schools. A place where one feels safe, a place to gain knowledge, and a place to produce intellectuals, turns out to be a nest for perpetrators and victims of bullying.

What a cause for concern. A place that should be friendly and a second home is not safe.

Based on 2018 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) data, Indonesia ranks fifth as the country with the highest bullying rate in the world. As many as 41.1% of students said they had been bullied at school, this percentage was above the average. Meanwhile, based on data from the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) in 2022, there have been at least 226 cases of both physical and psychological violence, including bullying, the number of which continues to increase to date.

Of course this is not an achievement. Data and numbers that cannot be said to be small for a case that hurts someone’s physical, psychological and honor.

Through this article, readers are expected to gain knowledge about bullying and its prevention, in order to create a friendlier world.

What is Bullying? According to the Big Indonesian Dictionary (KBBI), bullying is a process, method, action that is carried out by someone using power to hurt or intimidate people who are weaker than them. Usually by forcing them to do what the perpetrator wants.

Bullying is divided into several types, namely physical, verbal, relational, and cyber-bullying.

Physique Physical bullying is one of the most obvious forms of bullying. This is because there is evidence so that it can be identified among other forms of oppression. But cases of physical bullying were reported much less than other forms of bullying.

Verbal Verbal bullying is the most common form of bullying used by children, both boys and girls. Verbal bullying is easy to do because it can be done in secret, in the presence of adults, or even in the form of a conversation that sounds like a joke between peers.

Examples of verbal actions include body-shaming, reproach, slander, cruel criticism, threats, and statements or words of a sexual nature or sexual harassment. Verbal oppression can also take the form of depriving the victim of pocket money or belongings, abusive telephone messages, intimidating emails, threatening letters, false accusations, gossip, and so on.

Relational Relational bullying is a form of bullying that is more difficult to detect from the outside because it involves undermining the victim’s self-esteem through neglect, exclusion, exclusion, or avoidance. One of the most powerful tactics of relational oppression is avoidance, in which the victim is deliberately excluded or ignored.

Examples of re-national acts of bullying include social exclusion, rejection of friends, exclusion from groups, and the like. Relational bullying can also involve hidden gestures such as threatening looks, sighs, and unfriendly gestures.

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is a form of bullying that develops along with advances in technology, the internet and social media.

Examples of cyberbullying are hate speech through social media, spreading false information and gossip with the aim of damaging the victim’s image, spreading personal information without permission, sexting, and many more. Cyberbullying takes many forms and will continue to evolve as technology advances.

Bullying Prevention Measures Based on the Ministry of Women and Child Protection (KPPA), prevention efforts need to be carried out in a comprehensive and integrated manner by involving various parties.

Prevention Through Children: Empower children to be able to recognize early signs of bullying.

Train children to fight bullying when it happens on their own.

Encourage children to provide assistance to friends who are experiencing bullying, either by stopping violence, supporting friends by building trust, or reporting the incident to relevant parties.

Prevention Through the Family: Instill religious values and teach love between people.

Creating a loving family environment and showing positive ways of interacting among family members.

Build children 's self-confidence, strengthen children 's courage and firmness, and develop children’s social skills.

Accompanying children in consuming information from media such as television, internet, and other electronic media.

Prevention Through Schools: Design bullying prevention programs and implement anti-bullying policies.

Build effective communication between teachers and students so as to create openness.

Provide assistance to students who are victims of bullying.

Provide measurable strict sanctions to perpetrators of bullying.

Prevention Through the Community:

Building community groups that care about child protection, starting from the village or village level, with the Community-Based Integrated Child Protection (PATBM) approach.

Providing information and education about bullying including understanding, types, impacts, and preventive measures that can be taken.

Bullying must be eradicated. This is not easy, but with collaboration and synergy from various parties, there is a belief for a friendlier world. Everyone should help in fighting all forms of bullying.

Because there are so many effects of bullying such as decreased self-esteem, loss of interest, eating disorders, declining academic performance, dropping out of school to mental disorders that can lead to death.

It is written in Isaiah 43:4, because you are precious in my eyes and noble, I will give people in exchange for you, and nations in exchange for your life. For all who have experienced or are currently experiencing bullying, this verse gives strength that whatever and however, humans are God’s most noble and precious creations.

He loves with unconditional love. He does not look at body shape, face type, skin color, ethnicity, race and so on.

Besides that, believers are required to love one another, because God is love. Bullying is certainly not a form of love.

In John 13:34 it is written, I give you a new commandment, namely that you love one another, just as I have loved you, also you must love one another. This verse shows that love between people is an integral part of God’s teachings and mission.

When Christians love one another, it becomes real proof to the world that they are followers of Christ and are witnesses of His love. This love is not only a commandment, but also a call to set an example of His love for the world.

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