SINGAPORE-Singapore is taking a new approach to fighting bullying in schools by encouraging people to share a video that aims to tackle a tough topic in a country that traditionally prides itself on being respectful to others.
The tiny city-state of 5.4 million people holds an annual Racial Harmony Day, sprinkles its public transportation networks with messages encouraging people to behave politely and prides itself on a reputation for low crime and safety.
But its schools still suffer from a problem that is growing the world over. About one in eight children between the ages of 7 and 16 are bullied on a weekly basis in Singapore, according to a 2006 study conducted by Singapore's Coalition Against Bullying for Children and Youth, or CABCY.
In a bid to raise awareness about the dangers of bullying, the coalition has published an animated film that depicts a bullied child who is too afraid to talk about the bullying because she thinks it could become worse.
'If I just keep quiet maybe it will go away,' the child says.
In the video bullies throw things at the child, steal her lunch and call her names. 'Is it my fault?' the child asks.
Part of a campaign called 'Share It To End It,' the film has been shared on Facebook more than 18,000 times since it was first launched Monday. It shortens by a millisecond each time it is shared and will disappear after its circulated 100,000 times.
'Sharing this story with a friend literally reduces the suffering the child in this film is experiencing. That's a powerful metaphor for how we can end bullying by sharing experiences and talking about it,' said Juhi Kalia, executive creative director at JWT Singapore, an advertising agency that worked with digital advertising specialist XM Asia to make the film.
Bullying used to be a 'taboo topic' for schools in Singapore, said Sylvia Ang, a senior counsellor at the Singapore Children's Society, a charity that offers care and advice to children and families. Partly as a result of campaigns like the one launched by CABCY, schools have become much more open to discussing the problem, she said.
The issue has not been ignored by politicians either. In March Singapore outlawed cyber-bulling as part of a new Protection from Harassment Act.
The offense now carries a punishment comparable to stalking and sexual harassment, which includes fines of up to S$5,000 (US$4,000) for violators.
'No person shall by any means use any threatening, abusive or insulting words or behavior,' it reads.
According to CABCY's 2006 study, a quarter of the 4,000 respondents said they had been cyber-bullied.
Efforts to fight bullying have been positive, said Ms. Ang. But, she also noted that many schools still need to establish proper follow-up measures to handle reports of bullying from students.
'School bullying is still a prevalent issue in Singapore,' she said. And creating awareness itself is only the first step.
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