Last October there was a story on the news about a 12 year-old girl, Shanni Naylor, who had been slashed across the face with a razorblade whilst sitting in her English class. I often wanted to stick pins in my own eyes during English lessons, but never anyone elses.
So, like most of the country I was absolutely apalled that anyone could commit such a crime (despite my memories of what a classroom-bound study of Educating Rita can make you think of doing to your fellow man). The news item said it would probably leave the poor girl with facial scars for life. And not lucrative ones like the model-dater and crooner, Seal.
However, I’ve learned today that the sympathy I so begrudgingly gave, might have been misplaced. So I might not be going soft after all.
You see, now that the case has come to court, a couple of further details have been made available. The most pertinent of which is that the girl that did the ‘slashing’ was being bullied at the school, and that just 24 hours before the incident, she was beaten up in front of 100 other students by Shanni Naylor, our slashing ‘victim’.
It puts a bit of a different perspective on it doesn’t it? Is your sympathy waning too?
I fucking despise bullies. Whatever their age or sex. Being 12 does not mean you can act like a violent thug towards other people. By that age you know not to bang another kids head against a wall. Unless it is in one of those nice computer games. Which are harmless.
Fortunately, I was never bullied at school, but I know people who were, and I know they would’ve given anything to give their torturers a good old-fashioned hiding. They just never had the balls, or access to any razorblades. The only people shaving at that time were the bullies themselves. Or their Mums*.
I’m not saying I advocate the use of razorblades as weapons (other assorted weaponry is available), but if you’re going to bully someone, and then beat them up in public, don’t be surprised if they come back at you looking for a bit of revenge. Even if it’s meant as a way of saying, “Leave me alone please”.
Not everyone lies down and just ‘takes it’. In fact, I’d bet any parent reading this would hope that their child would fight back if ever they were bullied. I know I would.
Whatever happens in this case, I’d imagine that the lives of both girls are, in all likelihood, irrevocably damaged. I just can’t help feeling the victim in this case is as much to blame as anyone.
* Even 17 years later I get nervous writing that!
{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
My sympathies changed on hearing the details. I got bullied at school. I took up full-contact karate and proceeded to kick the ‘bullies’ balls repeatdly. I then threw him in a rubbish bin in the playground. I then went on the look out for other bullies dispensing my angry justice on them. I picked one guy up by the throat and pinned him against the wall. It wasnt the actual martial arts that did the trick for me, it was making the choice to fight back. The thought of ‘you will not do this to me fucker’ was the catalyst.
Being 6’5 I seemed to attract vicious people all of my life, never had any trouble standing up for myself or my mates though as long arms = lots of leverage.
I personally hate bullies, however I think a lot of people who say they get bullied should have learned to take a joke or fight back.
Their was a kid at my high school who would break down in tears if insulted even a little bit, and would start to froth at the mouth if nisulted a little more. This is one of the more extreme cases, but if you dont fight back things will always get worse.
I believe the parents are to blame on this one when they tell them to just ‘walk away’, turning your back on someone who wants to beat your guts out of your ass is never a good move.
Fighting back always feels good, but walking away can work, i guess it depends on the bully. Ignoring verbal taunts from someone is easy but if someone got violent on me i’d quickly reciprocate. The bf was bullied for ages in junior school until one day it got to him so much he flipped and punched the twat square in the face knocking him out cold. Suffice to say he never had any problems with bullies again
Hmm having looked at the bbc’s coverage of this, the silly bitch deserved it. Hope her scars serve as a reminder of what a horrible horrible cow she is.
RD – There’s no better sight than a defeated bully.
Oli – at 6’5″ you ATTRACT trouble?….
marycub – you can’t walk away when someon is banging your head against a wall.
The only way to deal with bullying is to make a conscious choice not to allow it to happen to you. Razor blades OTOH may get you points for style, but not for good thinking. Bullies cannot handle direct confrontation, gaining their power from the submission of their victims. Bite back hard enough and they will generally slink away like the vermin they are.
Tough lesson to learn though.
I don’t understand the school’s apparently casual attitude. I’m a governor at two schools; at either of those physical bullying like that would have been grounds for immediate suspension; whether temporary or permanent. The victim should have been able to go to teachers for help. It can be very difficult to eliminate bullying, but blatant and physical attacks are at least straightforward to crack down on.
My brother was starting to get targeted by a bully when he was at Primary School. Only verbal taunts but I took it upon myself to meet him from school one day, asked him to point out said bully and then went and had a quiet few words. They were along the lines of ‘pick on my little brother again and I will break both your fuckin legs’. Needless to say my little bro never got bullied again.
Moral of the story – Big sisters rule! However, still wished I had an older brother so I could pull his mates.
When I was ten I was in an accident and suffered a moderate head injury. No long term damage* luckily, but I was in hospital for quite a while as they repaired my broken skull.
A boy teased me when I returned to school and told me I had been in the mental hospital.
A quick visit from my big brother put it right, and he apologised to me.
Now he is a jehovah’s witness living in a small town.
Who’s laughing now, Dennis you fucker!!
*honestly!
why don’t you shut up you bunch of moaning, four eyed, ginger haired, B.O. smelling, short ass looooozers, or i’ll punch your fucking brains out.
Dr J – So fighting back is the prescribed solution?
z – the schools are indeed also culpable.
TJ – I bet they’re still in therapy
NF – at least you’re not bitter eh?
Dr Clip – all names from personal experience?
Most, although I am bigger than you avg man (ahem), and i didnt smell.
My brothers friends used to pursue me at high speed through the cooridoors and then lift me up by my neck, for fun.
Oh, and I’m strawberry blonde goddamnit!
z- running to the teacher is immediate grounds for the entire school to pick on the grassee, to stop bullying the victom or family member has to do one of the following
a) Beat the fucking crap out of the bully
b) Come back with a series of witty retorts
c) Threaten the bully and hope like hell they take you seriously.
Things that dont work on the mindset of a bully.
a) Suspension = Free Holiday
b) Expulsion = Even longer free holiday
c) Verbal warning from a teacher = always funny
d) Walking away = Labels you as a pussy (easy Target.
e) Telling the teacher = See a – d
f) Cry – worst possible thing to do.
g) keep quite, or make poor comeback = Makes victim look stupid.
At least if you fight back worst that can happen is an arse kicking, at least the atackee will know that you are willing to fight back, and will be a hellova lot more cautious next time.
And yeah Mr Angry, being tall always seems to attract at least one little prick who decides to prove his worth by knocking someone two feet taller to the floor, fortuantely most of them have failed
My youngest got bullied at school, I spent ages trying to talk her round and help her find ways of dealing with it until she looked me straight in the eye and said:
“I didn’t do any of that, I just smacked her one back.”
Ahhh, the genes are still there…..`
Dr Clip – Whatever you say coppertop.
Oli – ‘most of them have failed’? So how many midgets have knocked you on your ass?
greavsie – and I’m sure you glowed with pride
LIVID!!!
z seems to have summed it up pretty well, and her a governor– should that be governess?
– the disciplinaries at her schools must be a literal riot, but she’s right on.
Front up to the bully and they will go away. If you intimidate them back with style a la Cyrano then so much the better, but the key is proving to them that they cannot get to you.
To paraphrase whichever Rooseveldt it was, “Call ‘em a bastard, and carry a big stick!”
And if all else fails, slash ‘em with a posh crisp!
2, little bastards, in one of the cases it was a nutter builder, teh other time its just a hazy memory of a fist coming up towards my face after having way too much to drink, fell over way too many times that night and i think the reason for the annoyed short ass was me and paul having a moshpit wich resulted in my flying into a table & group of people.
happy days.
Dr Clip – welcome to the club
Dr J – “Step back, I’m packing a Ludow sausage and wholegrain mustard snack”
Oli – angry midgets, there’s a rant all on it’s own….
It has been my sad duty to expel a few of the miscreants
Governess, forsooth.
I was bullied. I hit him with a brick after about 6 months of it. He went to hospital. It didn’t make the papers in those days. He didn’t bully me again. Or anyone else come to that. He’s still in a wheelchair. And no. I don’t feel guilty. He’s still a loud mouthed arsehole. If the ‘slasher’ was bullied by the girl she slashed it’s not her fault. You have to fight back and bollocks to how.
I found that if your were not “average” at school, you got bullied. Too fat/thin, too short/tall, too clever/stupid — didn’t matter.
I was was tall, thin and clever. Of course I got bullied. Sometimes from a whole mob. On the other hand, ours was a rugby school — plenty of chance there to get revenge by fairer means.
And the biggest bully? He now sits behind the parcel desk at the main post office. I, on the other hand, now have a well-paid job.
So, JF from B — being “keen” and working hard at school wasn’t such a bad idea after all, was it?
Huuaarrrrr!!
z – expell away
FD – well done!
Ken – At least you got out of it in one piece
All – the girl was found guilty of unlawful wounding, it could have been much worse.