Student Huang Tanghong was rushed to the hospital after one of the routine beatings and abuse he had been receiving from three bullies at his school in the Fujian Province in China. He had been too afraid to tell his parents about his injuries and so kept silent hoping the paun would go away. The following day the pain became too severe. Huang's spleen had ruptured and he had to be given surgery.
Huang's mother was heartbroken and very angry over what happened to her son. "They beat him and tortured him just for the sake of it."
Public attention came to Huang's case when his cousin Huang Jiaxin called for justice through the social media. Only then did the school and the local authorities act on Huang's behalf.
While the bullies were initially accosted, they were eventually released when their parents compensated Huang and his family with 210,000 CNY ($33,000)
Huang's isn't an isolated case. Many other similar situations point to the lack of legal protection for bullying victims in schools throughout China. The country's Child Protection Law states that minors under the age of 16 are only dealt harsh punishment in the event they commit a crime that is as serious as murder.
With the lack of avenue for justice and help, most have taken to social media to expose the cruelty that students suffer in the hands of fellow students. The #anti-campus-violence campaign on Weibo has gained significant popularity.
The increase in similar online expose did not go unnoticed by the Cyberspace Administration of China, which banned websites from making these videos available online as the juveniles' mental and physical health must be protected.
In the meantime, injury and death toll from bullying cases continue to rise. Figures suggest that one in five students are being bullied in China.
A 2012 research studied four cities in Guangdong and found that 21% of middle school students were involved in bullying as a perpetrator, a victim, or as both. Those who were both bullied and bully are thought to have become part of a vicious cycle of aggression and shame, which may have more serious health risks and repercussions.
Peer pressure, broken family situations, insecurity and lengthier time online were among the factors seen to be related to bullying. Financial situations showed little effect.
Huang Jiaxin says that the delayed action on the school's part over his cousin's experience is perfect proof that the institution fails to protect its students.
"Small fights can slip under the radar...But when you need to remove an organ? That's serious."
