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Author Charisse Van Horn
Oct 19, 2010

With the growing tragedy of bullying and suicide (and it isn't just gay bullying either, all bullying creates depression in children and teens, studies show), we thought to ask if the victim's suicide is the ultimate reward for bullying. Do bullies intend for their victims to ultimately kill themselves and if so, is this the equivalent of being a psychological serial killer?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes bullying as follows, "Bullying is when a person or group repeatedly tries to harm someone who is weaker or who they think is weaker. Sometimes it involves direct attacks such as hitting, name calling, teasing or taunting. Sometimes it is indirect, such as spreading rumors or trying to make others reject someone.

Often people dismiss bullying among kids as a normal part of growing up. But bullying is harmful. It can lead children and teenagers to feel tense and afraid. It may lead them to avoid school. In severe cases, teens who are bullied may feel they need to take drastic measures or react violently. Others even consider suicide. For some, the effects of bullying last a lifetime."

We may assume that at some point bullies stop and realize the vast amount of harm they have caused others, but do they really? Have we heard from bullies who have admitted their problem and were grief stricken over their victim's suicides, lasting depression, and subsequent loss of quality of life due to the harassment and abuse they faced?

If bullies enjoy hurting others, harming others, striking and isolating others, then could it be possible that subconsciously, if not conciously, the bully's greatest 'reward' is seeing the ultimate victory - driving their victim to suicide? Are bullies psychological serial killers who prey on others, seeking to destroy and kill without using knives or guns but with words?

Those who aren't bullies assume that at some point, the one bullying comes to terms with his or her actions, or even gets to the point where they say, "I never meant to hurt him."

Do serial killers say they never meant to hurt their victims?

Bullying is growing at epidemic levels in our nation and it's time that bullies receive treatment, just as any other violent offender should receive. Children should not be terrified to go to school, teens should not be terrified to go to college.

An adult in any of the bullying situations that our children face would call the police and have a restraining order placed on the offender.

Bullies should have restraining orders placed on them and if they can't go to school without looking for victims to harass, then they shouldn't be allowed in school! So, your halls may be cleared out, but it would get the point across and the students that you have would be in an environment conducive to learning.

There needs to be bullying offender programs that gets to the heart of the problem with the student.

If your child or teen is bullied, do everything that you can to protect your child. Ask yourself what you would do if every day you went to work there was someone harassing you, physically assaulting you or verbally abusing you.

Would 'Be tough, you can get through it?' suffice or would you take legal action?

If we wouldn't tolerate this behavior as adults, how can we expect our children to tolerate this same abuse.