There is a form of violence that often leaves no visible bruises, but deep and lasting marks. It’s what passes for jokes, teasing, exclusions disguised as games. This gray area is called bullying and, among young people, it is difficult to recognize. And therefore to be stopped.
On the occasion of the National Day against Bullying and Cyberbullying on 7 February, data, testimonies and awareness initiatives provide a clear picture: the phenomenon is widespread, growing and still too submerged.
A real discomfort that many do not call bullying
A simple question — “What is bullying for you?” — was enough to bring out an uncomfortable truth. Many behaviors that generate suffering are not immediately perceived as violence, neither by those who suffer them nor by those who carry them out.
According to an online survey of the ScuolaZoo community conducted among over 6,000 girls and boys between the ages of 12 and 18, 92% have felt uncomfortable at least once for actions defined only as “a joke”, while almost 7 out of 10 think that those who bully are not fully aware of the damage caused.
It is precisely this unawareness that makes the phenomenon dangerous: when violence is normalized, it becomes invisible.
Cyberbullying on the rise
Alongside the perceptions of young people, the data confirms the seriousness of the situation.
According to data from Telefono Azzurro, in 2024 over one million students between the ages of 15 and 19 suffered episodes of cyberbullying, while 32% admit to having behaved like a cyberbully at least once.
In Italy, more generally, 68.5% of children between 11 and 19 years old said they had experienced offensive or aggressive episodes in the last year, and around a third reported online harassment.
A phenomenon that does not only concern our country: on an international level, according to the study Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) of the World Health Organization, conducted in approximately 44 countries and regions 11% of teenagers have experienced bullying at schoolwithout significant differences between boys and girls.
On the front of the cyberbullyingThe 12% of adolescents (1 in 8) say they have practiced itwith a higher incidence among boys (14%) than girls (9%). Particularly worrying is the increase compared to 2018: from 11% to 14% among boys and from 7% to 9% among girls. It is even more relevant data relating to victims: 15% of adolescents, approximately 1 in 6, have suffered episodes of cyberbullyingor, with similar percentages between males (15%) and females (16%), growing compared to 2018.
Behind the numbers, however, there remains a large submerged area. Fear, shame and mistrust in adults prevent many children from asking for help, leaving the suffering invisible.
The first step: recognize what hurts
The awareness initiatives launched on this day have a common message: fighting bullying and cyberbullying means first of all learning to recognize them.
Because violence is no less serious when it passes through a screen, nor when it is called a “joke”. The consequences on the mental health of younger people are real and can last over time.
What is needed? Without a doubt, a shared responsibility, between families, schools, institutions and the digital world, which is capable of building a protection network around children and adolescents. Only in this way can silence be transformed into awareness, and awareness into change.
