School bullying stemming from trivial reasons.

Having joined a "gang of female bullies" in 9th grade, Hoang Thao repeatedly urged the group to beat up a female student because she had a "mole near her mouth that made her look ugly".

"Sometimes we'd meet outside the school, other times we'd drag each other into the restroom. We'd hit and slap each other hard, it wasn't just playful teasing," said Hoang Thao, currently 27, living in Hanoi .

According to Thảo, due to her weak health, the victims often silently endured the abuse. Sometimes, the victims would tell the teacher, or Thảo's group would be caught bullying a classmate, but Thảo frequently escaped punishment or only received a written reprimand because her mother was the head of the parent-teacher association. The bullying continued, but more discreetly than before.

Regarding the reason for bullying, Thảo simply said it was because she "disliked the sight of her," but admitted that it was often just an excuse, without any specific reason. The bullied female student was only left alone when Thảo's group got bored and moved on to harassing another student.

Bullying is intentional and persistent behavior that harms others, said Dr. Khuc Nang Toan, a psychologist from Hanoi Pedagogical University, at a seminar in late April. Bullying manifests itself in many forms, such as verbal threats, insults, physical attacks, posting clips and images online to intimidate, manipulate, isolate, or spread rumors.

The Ministry of Education and Training estimates that nearly 7,100 students were involved in school violence in 2022. However, this is only the statistic after instances of students fighting. Therefore, the actual number of victims and those involved in school bullying could be much higher.

An 8th-grade female student was beaten in the restroom of Gio Linh Secondary School in Quang Tri province on the afternoon of April 24th. (Image cropped from a video clip) — An 8th-grade female student was beaten by a group of fellow students in the restroom of Gio Linh Secondary School in Quang Tri province on the afternoon of April 24th. *(Image cropped from a video clip)*

Experts believe there are four main causes of school bullying .

Firstly, there is the power dynamic among students, stemming from a desire to demonstrate superior authority in relationships. Dr. Toan cited the example of a large student wanting to show off their strength, authority, and dominance over smaller students, thus leading to bullying. According to Dr. Toan, sometimes weaker students become bullies in order to gain superiority and authority, masking their own disadvantages.

The second reason is social influence. Dr. Vu Thu Trang, a psychologist at Hanoi Pedagogical University, argues that school bullying is not an innate behavior, but something students learn from others. For example, at home, children see their parents using corporal punishment to control them, or friends who fail to persuade them become isolated. Children observe and imitate this behavior.

According to Ms. Trang, sadly, the victims also see it as an effective way to solve their problems, and then repeat it on those weaker than themselves. This process is similar to the spread of a virus, appearing from one student to another and mutating, causing school bullying to spread rapidly and become difficult to control.

According to Mr. Toan, behavioral and emotional reinforcement is the third cause of school bullying. He argues that bullying isn't always intentional; sometimes it's spontaneous due to students losing control. When they see that this action can help solve a problem or achieve a goal, they will continue to use it. Thus, the behavior is reinforced and repeated.

The fourth reason is that the forms of discipline used to combat school bullying are not deterrent enough, so students are not afraid and repeat the behavior, according to Mr. Huynh Thanh Phu, principal of Bui Thi Xuan High School, Ho Chi Minh City.

According to regulations from the Ministry of Education and Training, when students violate discipline, schools can only reprimand, warn, or suspend them for a maximum of two weeks. Expulsion has not been applied since 2020. Meanwhile, many students disregard these regulations, frequently engaging in fights and brawls both inside and outside of school. Sometimes, these acts are serious, even resulting in death.

A few days ago, a group of six male students from An Phuc High School in Nam Dinh province, armed with weapons, fought after school. As a result, one 11th-grade student died on the way to the hospital.

Bullying and fighting are now often filmed and posted online by students. Associate Professor Dr. Dang Quoc Thong, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Doan Thi Diem Secondary and High School, believes this behavior stems from a desire for attention and praise, a feeling of "being cool," and a sense of heroism. According to Dr. Thong, students at this age like to imitate, while the posting of sensational content, including violence, to gain "likes" is rampant on social media.

School bullying leaves severe consequences not only for the victims but also for the perpetrators. Mr. Toan observed that bullied students become afraid to go to school, and their academic performance declines. Socially, victims of school bullying become withdrawn, hesitant to socialize, and frequently anxious, fearful, and stressed. Being bullied can also lead victims to engage in negative behaviors, such as lying to their parents or stealing money to buy food to "pay off" the bully. Being beaten and filmed creates even greater pressure on victims, as they face the feeling that thousands of people know about the incident.

Late last month, the eighth-grade daughter of 43-year-old Hoang Van Dang, who lives in Gio Linh district, Quang Tri province, was forced to kneel, beaten with a helmet, and had her clothes torn by a group of classmates in the school's restroom. Mr. Dang said that his daughter, who used to be sociable and often participated in school cultural events, is now afraid to go to school, avoids the internet, and hides whenever she encounters strangers. He also worries that if she accidentally sees the video online later, her mental health will be affected again.

Regarding students who bully others, Dr. Vu Thu Trang views this behavior as laying the foundation for unhealthy problem-solving methods, making them more likely to violate the law in the future. Furthermore, bullies often have only a few "friends," mostly members of the bullying group, and are ostracized by others. This is also a social consequence that students who engage in bullying behavior face.

Recalling what she did, Hoang Thao considers herself lucky. At that time, media and social networks were not as developed as they are now, so Thao's actions were not disseminated. This is also significant for the victim, because Thao agrees that the consequences of having the video posted online are far more serious than any physical injury.

Another stroke of luck, according to Thảo, was that her friend, who had been unjustly attacked, had also overcome that difficult period. They reconnected in high school, and Thảo even helped carry the wedding trays at her friend's engagement ceremony, but there was one thing she still hadn't dared to do.

"For over 10 years since graduating from junior high school, I've never seriously apologized to her or asked how she's gotten over it. I didn't dare to bring it up, even though I still feel guilty and remorseful," Thảo said.

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