THE government has urged a rethink on a proposed legislation criminalising bullying on the basis of religion, belief, sect, sex, race or colour within the family, in school or at work.
Under amendments proposed to the 1976 Penal Code, MPs want bullying to be considered a crime and punishable with a jail term of up to three months, or a fined of between BD300 and BD3,000, or both.
Repeater offenders could face up to six months in jail, or a fine of between BD1,000 and BD4,000, or both.
According to the UN, three characteristics define bullying: intent, repetition, and power.
A bully intends to cause pain, either through physical harm or hurtful words or behaviour, and does so repeatedly. Boys are more likely to experience physical bullying, while girls are more likely to experience psychological bullying.
Bullying is a pattern of behaviour, rather than an isolated incident. Children who bully usually come from a perceived higher social status or position of power, such as children who are bigger, stronger, or perceived to be popular.
“General bullying is already penalised in the Penal Code and it covers all aspects whether verbal, power flexing, or taking advantage of vulnerabilities for a favour or any other target,” said the Cabinet, in writing.
“Most of the bullying cases are between school students aged between 13 and 15, according to UN statistics, and for that Unicef has launched an anti-bullying campaign,” it added.
“So it is clear that bullying is between underage children and not those aged 18 and above and can’t be covered in a legislation intended for adults.
“We have been pioneers in bullying prevention as we have teams representing the Interior, Health and Education ministries on campus to deal with such acts and provide the necessary disciplinary and psychological guidance.”
The Cabinet added that this didn’t mean that school administrations hadn’t punished bullies.
“Punishments should be disciplinary besides encouraging bullies to get rid of the bad habit, and not imposing fines or jail time.”
The Cabinet said that every child had the right to a safe, nurturing school environment that respects their dignity.
“The Convention on the Rights of the Child states that all children have the right to an education, and protection from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse.”
Another amendment presented by MPs to the Penal Code and also under study by the government involves criminalising cyberbullying on social media with offenders facing fines of up to BD3,000 and three months in jail.
“Any cyberbullying on social media whether a recording, writing, gestures, remarks or comments is punishable with a fine of between BD300 and BD3,000, jail term between a day and three months, or both,” said the new article.
“The same is applicable to any racist, degrading, mockery or ridiculing act.”
The GDN reported last year that parents were being urged to be alert to ensure their children did not fall prey to cyberbullying.
The General Directorate of Anti-Corruption, Economic and Electronic Security’s Anti-Crime Directorate officer Captain Hayat Ahmed stressed the importance of raising awareness within families of the dangers lurking online.
She said that parents can also block certain smart phone applications and chat options to protect their children from bullies and predators.
The Information Affairs Ministry also launched a national campaign titled ‘Say Good’ highlighting cyberbullying in 2020.
More than a third of young people in Bahrain have reported being bullied online, revealed one report.
The National Internet Safety Review, which was conducted by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, showed that cyberbullying was a major threat to the health and well-being of children in Bahrain.
It surveyed almost 2,500 school children between the ages of 12 and 18 from around the country and found that cyberbullying was the most pressing concern.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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