Johor bullying victim Ameer Mirza Noreswandi recalls the ordeal he went through while studying in a boarding school six years ago.
The now 19-year-old said the verbal bullying, including body shaming, went on for about a year at the school in Pontian.
“Although they did not physically attack me, their words were enough to cause me great emotional pain.
“What made it worse was that my friends joined in the name-calling, thinking it was fun and harmless since I did not show how much it affected me.
“To avoid being bullied, I distanced myself from everyone.
“I felt so alone. Looking back, I believe the trauma would not have been that bad if someone had reached out to me,” he told StarMetro.
Ameer Mirza, now a student at the Manpower Department’s Advanced Technology Training Centre (Adtec) said the experience made him more attuned to changes in the behaviour of those around him.
“I moved to another school about a year later because my father was transferred to a new workplace.
“The bullies apologised before I left the school, but that did little to erase the effect their words had on me, especially my self-confidence.
“At the same time, the experience has helped me to identify the tell-tale signs of a bullying victim better,” he said, adding that it was important for peers and teachers to be alert.
Meanwhile, P. Johnny, 17, said peers played a vital role in providing a safe space for bullying victims to speak out.
“Children and teenagers often feel more comfortable talking to those who are of the same age.
“As such, we play a very important role in taking note of signs that someone is struggling and making our friends know it is safe to reach out.”
The secondary school student said these signs included youngsters isolating themselves or having extreme swings in emotion.
The teen, who said she had been bullied at the age of 14, emphasised the importance of schoolchildren recognising these signs.
“Bullying can come in different forms, and sometimes even the victims are not aware that they are being bullied.
“For instance, I was body shamed a few years ago, and decided to speak up against the bullies as I recognised their actions as a form of bullying.
“However, not all schoolchildren, especially younger ones, are aware and may endure years of verbal bullying without even realising it.
“This is why it is important to raise awareness,” she said.
Johor Baru Befrienders board of trustees member Danny Loo said self-isolation was one of the key signs of bullying among children.
“Other signs include throwing tantrums, while they could also appear tired as emotional distress could lead to lack of sleep.
“Apart from parents and teachers, peers should also look out for these signs as they might indicate a cry for help.”
He also reminded victims not to be afraid to talk to someone about things that were troubling them.
“Just having a safe space to talk about what they are going through could be very helpful, especially for their mental health,” he said.
Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the number of bullying cases in schools had been increasing, with 7,681 recorded in 2024 compared to 6,528 in 2023.
