Despite the fact that bullying has been a topic of much discussion and intervention for the past several years, it continues to be a major problem in our schools. Experts say that the long-term effects of bullying on a child victim can be very detrimental and last into adulthood. And, the aggressor’s bullying can also continue into adulthood.
Many ailments have been connected to bullying, such as depression, eating disorders, self-harm, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Inevitably, the child victim suffers from a loss of confidence.
The negative feelings associated with being a victim of bullying can lead to anger problems which may require therapy and medications. Often, the child withdraws from social contacts, which then leaves him isolated. It is critical to intervene as quickly as possible if this happens because isolation can lead to suicidal tendencies.
Interestingly, bullying tendencies as a child have been linked to sexual harassment as an adult. A December 2016 study published in the journal Children and Youth Services Review showed that “43% of the children surveyed (from middle school to high school) had been the victims of verbal sexual harassment (including sexual comments, jokes, and gestures) in the past year.” One of the experts who was involved in the study said that the bullying tendencies associated with sexual harassment can have their beginnings long before the person becomes an adult: “Schools are breeding grounds for harassment of women. What we see in college starts in K to twelve.”
To read more about the long-term effects of bullying, go to: