Bullying at School Hurts and Can Affect Life Even in Adulthood
Bullying at school, also known as school violence, refers to inappropriate or violent behaviour between pupils in a school setting. It can take many forms, such as:
- Physical violence (such as hitting, kicking, pushing, and choking)
- Psychological violence (such as name-calling, belittling, and excluding someone)
- Damaging or stealing someone’s property
- Slandering, gossiping, and talking behind someone’s back
- Threatening and extorting
Despite its name, school bullying does not always take place only at school. Bullying can also occur during free time, for example by phone, on social media, or in connection with hobbies and other activities where children and young people gather.
Bullying at school and during leisure time is part of everyday life for many children and young people. Those who are bullied often have to endure daily tension, fear, and anxiety. The negative emotions caused by bullying and violence can quickly leave their mark on a child’s self-esteem and mental well-being.
At worst, the experience of being bullied can make life difficult even as an adult. Repeated bullying is a form of violence – and violence always leaves a mark. Violence affects, in some way, the lives of everyone involved.
Read more: Children and Young People as Victims of Crime: Bullying
Bullying Can Lead to Criminal Sanctions
Bullying is not specifically mentioned as a separate offence in Finnish criminal law, but the methods used in bullying are often the same as in criminal acts. Bullying may involve:
- assault
- extortion
- theft
- criminal damage
- threatening
- deprivation of liberty
- coercion
- defamation
Bullying may also consist solely of psychological violence, which can be difficult to defend against.
Using violence, making threats, damaging someone’s reputation, or destroying property in its various forms is prohibited by law, and it can also constitute a criminal offence. A perpetrator may therefore be held criminally liable and be required to pay damages.
Under Finnish law, a child under the age of 15 cannot be prosecuted for a criminal offence, but they can still be held liable for damages.
What to Do in a Bullying Situation?
- If you are being bullied at school, tell your guardian or another trusted adult.
- Inform school staff about the bullying. Teachers may not always notice it.
- When a school becomes aware of bullying incidents, it must respond and try to resolve the matter as quickly as possible. The school must also contact the guardians of the pupils involved.
- If the situation cannot be resolved within the school, help can be requested from external parties such as the police or social services. In certain situations, school staff are also obliged to file a child welfare report and notify the police.
- In prolonged or complex cases of bullying, multidisciplinary support may be needed to resolve the situation. In such cases, help may be available through the Ankkuri model in many municipalities. Ankkuri teams consist of experts from the police as well as from social, health, and youth services.
- Bullying-related matters can also be addressed in criminal and civil mediation with people from outside the school community.
Don’t Face It Alone
Bullying leaves its mark on the victim and their loved ones alike. It is important not to face the experience of bullying alone. Talking to a loved one or a professional can help you process what has happened and understand that bullying is never the victim’s fault.
- Victim Support Finland 116 006 | RIKUchat | Legal Advice by Phone 0800 161 177
- MLL – The Mannerheim League for Child Welfare offers support services for children and young people as well as for their guardians. For example, peer support groups are available for young people who have been bullied.
- The Valopilkku Support and Advice Centre for Bullying Issues offers peer-based post-bullying support for those who have experienced school bullying, as well as support for the families of bullied children and advice in acute bullying situations. Services are nationwide and free of charge.
- Sekasin Chat for ages 12–29
- Apuu Chat for ages 7–15
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