A painful echo of trauma that refuses to be silenced as children return to the classroom.
Brussels, September 2025. As the new school year begins, what may look like an ordinary scene of laughter and excitement for many students hides a silent threat that resurfaces year after year. Bullying and cyberbullying, far from being marginal problems, are now recognized as persistent dynamics that erode confidence, fracture social bonds and scar the lives of thousands of children across Europe and beyond. Data gathered by Fundación ANAR and Fundación Mutua Madrileña indicate that nearly one in ten students in Spain has been bullied, while about three percent endure aggression on a daily basis. Specialists stress that behind each percentage there is a child who often faces the classroom with fear instead of curiosity.
Psychologist María Esclápez defines the phenomenon as a wound that leaves a deep mark, capable of altering both emotional development and physical health. She explains that for many victims, the aggression is not temporary but prolonged, lasting months or even years. Research shows that nearly half of cases persist for several months, and a quarter stretch beyond a full academic year. The consequences accumulate over time: declining grades, sleep problems, anxiety disorders and, in the most serious cases, suicidal thoughts. The cumulative effect of daily humiliation, she notes, can drive a child to internalize the aggressor’s voice until self-hatred becomes part of their identity.
The expansion of digital technology has amplified the scope of this violence. Social networks such as WhatsApp, Instagram and TikTok have turned into arenas where insults and harassment follow the victim long after the school day ends. Experts warn that the psychological impact is intensified by the impossibility of escape. Surveys reveal that one in five cases now involve the use of manipulated images created with artificial intelligence. The case of a teenager from Extremadura illustrates the gravity of this shift: her classmates used AI tools to create false intimate images, spreading them online. Her mother recalls how the girl, devastated, showed her the images and could only say: “Mom, look what they have done to me.”
Such episodes underline a broader failure of prevention. Many schools still lack effective mechanisms to detect the early stages of bullying, when exclusion or mocking comments could be addressed before escalating. In France, the tragedy of Marion, a girl who took her own life at thirteen after years of abuse, remains a reminder of the price of silence. The foundation established in her name works across the Paris region, supporting families and raising awareness in schools. Similar initiatives have emerged in Spain and Italy, yet the persistence of the problem suggests that isolated actions cannot substitute systemic change.
Experts in child psychology argue that prevention must begin early, with programs that promote empathy, conflict resolution and digital literacy. They insist that punishment alone is insufficient; victims need spaces to rebuild their confidence, while aggressors require interventions that address the roots of their behavior. Teachers also call for training and institutional support, noting that they are often the first witnesses of aggression but lack resources to intervene effectively.
The international dimension of the issue has also become evident. Studies supported by the OECD warn that school bullying is not confined to national borders and that similar patterns appear across Europe, the Americas and Asia. UNICEF highlights that digital harassment in particular is growing in low and middle-income countries, where regulatory frameworks are weaker and parental monitoring is more limited. By drawing comparisons across regions, these organizations underline that the fight against bullying requires both cultural sensitivity and shared strategies.
From the perspective of families, the greatest obstacle remains silence. Many victims hesitate to confide in parents or teachers, fearing that speaking out will worsen their situation. Yet psychologists emphasize that disclosure is the first step toward recovery. Creating safe channels for children to express what they endure, and ensuring that adults respond with action rather than indifference, can make the difference between resilience and collapse. The act of naming the abuse transforms private suffering into a collective responsibility.
Above all, the return to school each September should not carry with it the return of fear. Every mocking comment, every exclusion from a group, every anonymous message contributes to an environment where cruelty can thrive. And every gesture of support, however small, can disrupt that cycle. Breaking the silence is not only about protecting individual victims but about reinforcing the social contract of care that defines education. If classrooms are to be spaces of learning and growth, then the obligation to confront bullying must be shared by families, teachers, institutions and governments alike.
The battle against bullying, in essence, is not merely about discipline or punishment but about defending the dignity of children and adolescents. Protecting that dignity ensures that schools remain places of discovery, not fear, and that young people are able to see themselves not with hatred but with the recognition that they are worthy of respect.
The visible and the hidden, in context.
The visible and the hidden, in context.