By Yi Whan-woo
About four out of 10 students in primary and secondary schools in Seoul suffered from school violence last year, data showed Monday.
Some 41.8 percent of the students aged between seven and 18 said they were bullied, harassed or physically attacked at least once in 2012. The rate is an increase from 27.6 percent in 2010, according to the survey taken every two years by the youth counseling center under the city government.
The center said it surveyed 11,714 students at 98 elementary, middle and high schools between June and August last year. Among the 41.8 percent, 11.7 percent of them said they became “loners” for some time because their classmates alienated them intentionally. Another 12.8 percent responded they were emotionally hurt because of abusive language directed at them. Also some 10.2 percent of them were teased, while the remaining 7.1 percent suffered physical injuries.
The data showed 49.2 percent of students bullied their peers at least once last year, up from 36.9 percent in 2010. Some 14.3 percent of those bullies said they alienated their classmates for fun. Another 13.2 percent responded they teased, while 12.5 percent responded they used abusive language. The remaining 9.2 percent said they punched their peers.
Of the total number of those surveyed, 39.8 percent of them said they considered committing suicide because of school violence. And 5 percent of them responded they actually attempted to kill themselves.