Hurting in Silence: A Need to Fight All Bullying on All Fronts

IT OFTEN STARTS quietly—a child who suddenly refuses to go to school, who once loved art but now no longer paints, who eats dinner without looking up, or who says “nothing” when you ask what is wrong, when something obviously is wrong.

Sometimes, the signs of bullying do not show in bruises or torn uniforms, but silence—a pain left unspoken. Bullying is not just a disciplinary issue—it is a crisis of empathy that cuts across homes, schools and communities.

“You can tell when a child begins to disappear,” says an experienced secondary school teacher, who wishes to remain anonymous. The earliest signs of trouble often reveal themselves not in words, but in behaviour. “At home, you will see the change if you are observant—they might not want to eat, they lose interest in what used to make them happy,” she adds.

But what is less obvious, she adds, are the signs of the bully.
“Many bullies appear polite or obedient at home. Their aggression only surfaces in school or online. That is why communication between parents, siblings and teachers is crucial. We need to monitor their online expressions and what kind of language they use with their peers.”