Four of Every Ten Students Victims of Intimidation

According to a recent study by NGO Association of Vital Voices, four out of every ten Bolivian students
are victims of such schoolyard harassment such as threats, taunts, coercion, social exclusion and educational marginalization. The study also showed that 50% of students were involved in scholastic harassment, either as victims, aggressors or spectators. Three of ten students were identified as aggressors. The study was overseen by the international organization Project Plan Bolivia.

Karen Flores Palacios, executive director of Plan Bolivia and author of The Right to a Violence-Free Education explained that this type of harassment was dangerous to victims, aggressors and bystanders. It removes the victim’s sense of confidence and safety, it diminishes the aggressor’s capacity to empathize and achieve compromise through negotiation, and it encourages bystanders to ignore injustice and cruelty. Flores Palacios counseled parents to observe signs of harassment by paying close attention to their students’ attitudes toward school, habits, and physical appearance. If parents suspect harassment, it is important for them to communicate with the school and maintain a warm, supportive relationship with their students.


http://www.laprensa.com.bo/noticias/31-01-10/noticias.php?nota=31_01_10_socd1.php