Silent Scars: Bullying rampant in South African schools

In playgrounds, WhatsApp groups and school corridors across South Africa, bullying is leaving devastating emotional scars on children. Bullying, long dismissed as a “rite of passage,” is now an entrenched crisis, one that schools, families and government can no longer afford to ignore.

An estimated 40% of school-going children in South Africa experience some form of bullying, with both emotional and physical abuse alarmingly common. Even more disturbing, one in three teenagers are victims of cyberbullying with social media platforms commonly used as harassment, extending beyond school hours and can be relentless.

“We’re not just dealing with bruises anymore,” says Dr Alicia Porter, board member of the South African Society of Psychiatrists (SASOP). “Children are anxious, depressed and in some cases, suicidal. When bullying is compounded by digital shame, the psychological damage can be lifelong.”

“It’s no longer limited to fists and name-calling - voice notes, group chat exclusions, photo manipulation and public shaming via platforms such as Instagram, WhatsApp and TikTok create humiliation that leaves the child feeling even more vulnerable and helpless. For many victims, there’s no escape.”

Children often suffer in silence, only reporting abuse after enduring repeated trauma. Victims describe a persistent fear of rejection, isolation, loss of self-esteem, anxiety and academic decline.

“Long after the bullying ends, emotional wounds remain, manifesting in adulthood as anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, trust issues and relationship struggles,” says Dr Porter.

“We’ve seen adults still carrying the pain of bullying they experienced decades ago. These are not just childhood memories, they’re psychological injuries.”

Bullying impacts both boys and girls but the nature of bullying may differ.

“Boys are more likely to experience physical bullying (fighting, pushing and hitting) while girls are more often targets of relational or verbal bullying (exclusion, name-calling and spreading of rumours),” Dr Porter says. “But having said this, the line between physical and emotional bullying is often blurred and many children experience a combination of both.”

She says that in South Africa, bullying can sometimes intersect with race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status, with children from disadvantaged backgrounds being more likely to experience bullying in diverse, multi-ethnic environments.

Dr Porter says bullying behaviour doesn’t happen in a vacuum and is rarely a simple matter of just being “mean”. Research shows many children who bully others are themselves victims of trauma, neglect, lack of emotional support or violence at home. Others bully to assert power and to feel in control, cope with deep-seated insecurity or target those they perceive to be weaker to elevate their own social standing and to fit in.

Group dynamics often escalate the harm. “It only takes one child to lead the charge, but peer pressure turns cruelty into performance,” says Dr Porter. “And schools aren’t always equipped to intervene.”

She says that without early intervention, this cycle of aggression festers, creating a hostile learning environment where cruelty becomes normalised.

Although the law is clear on protecting children from bullying with Section 6 of PEPUDA (2000), the South African Schools Act (1996) and School Governing Bodies legally held responsible for creating and enforcing anti-bullying codes of conduct, many schools lack consistent policies, training, or accountability mechanisms, especially in rural or under-resourced areas.

“Many schools have recognised the prevalence of bullying and have started implementing anti-bullying programs. However, there is still a lack of consistent policy enforcement and often incidents go unreported or are inadequately addressed. Schools in more urban areas tend to have more structured responses, while rural schools sometimes lack resources for proper intervention.”

“As a society, we must address bullying not just at the level of individual children, but also in the broader school environment, promoting positive relationships, emotional intelligence and intervention strategies when issues arise. It’s also critical for schools to have proper policies in place to handle bullying including clear steps to identify perpetrators and protect victims.”

Dr Porter says bullying is not a disciplinary issue. “It’s a mental health, safety and human rights emergency. If South Africa is to turn the tide on bullying, a multi-layered, systemic response is needed.”

Schools are legally and ethically obligated to:

• Prevent bullying through values-based education, awareness campaigns and emotional literacy programs.

• Report and investigate all bullying allegations transparently.

• Protect victims and provide access to counselling or referral to professionals.

• Support perpetrators through rehabilitation, not just punishment.

• Implement restorative justice approaches where appropriate.

• Provide trauma-informed teacher training.

On a national level, it is recommended to:

• Develop a national anti-bullying legislation to unify policy across provinces.

• Increase investment in school-based mental health services.

• Launch public awareness campaigns to destigmatise seeking help.

• Better collaboration between the Departments of Basic Education, Social Development, and Health

“This is a crisis hiding in plain sight,” the Dr Porter warns. “The emotional violence of bullying is as real as any physical wound. And unless we intervene now with urgency, compassion and a commitment to justice, we are failing an entire generation.”