How social media is fuelling a disturbing new trend in Australian schools that has parents and teachers on edge
- Schoolyard fights are being posted online
- Videos are being posted in private groups
- They show children attacking each other
An underground fight club is erupting on social media with kids filming each other in ‘horrifying’ bare-knuckle brawls in school yards across Australia.
Social media groups are being created by students at private and public schools where videos are posted of boys and girls brawling or ambushing victims.
It is part of a disturbing trend which has grown in popularity online and now concerned experts are stepping in to try and change the culture and help prevent lifelong trauma to the victims of this violence.
The existence of these closed online groups was thrust into the national spotlight last month when footage circulated of a 13-year-old girl in Queensland allegedly being tortured by other girls for hours.
‘I think we are quite desensitised to violence and brawls and to physically hurting each other,’ child psychologist Andrew Greenfield told The Project on Monday.
The existence of these closed online groups was thrust into the national spotlight last month when footage circulated of a 13-year-old girl in Queensland allegedly being tortured by other girls for hours (pictured)
‘That’s a massive concern to me because the message it sends out is that its okay to not only be involved, but its also okay to watch and be a bystander and do nothing about it.
‘We don’t want to oversimplify it and only pay attention to the symptom, but it’s also about the reason behind that as well.’
School board advisor Simon Dewar believes social media platforms should be doing more to shut down the content and prevent children from ruining their future and the lives of others.
‘Social media platforms have got a big role to play in this, they can certainly do more I feel,’ Mr Dewar said.
‘But in addition to that, I don’t think that we can wait for social media platforms to take this and to make things better.
‘So as a community there’s lots we can do.’
The former principal who now advises teachers and school leaders on how to curtail violence in schools said the long-term impacts on regularly viewing such violent content is going to be ‘significant’.
Private social media groups are being created by students at private and public schools where videos are posted of boys and girls brawling or ambushing victims (two examples are pictured)
An underground fight club is erupting on social media with kids filming each other in ‘horrifying’ bare-knuckle brawls in school yards across Australia (an example is pictured)
Child Psychologist Andrew Greenfield (left) and principal-turned-advisor, Simon Dewar (right) are speaking out about the disturbing new trend
‘Unfortunately we are seeing young people in general show more acts of violence and those acts of violence are varying,’ Mr Dewar said.
‘Although it’s not every student, every school, every day; what it might feel like is that there’s been that increase because we are seeing it through our social feeds.’
In Victoria alone, more than 130 fights involving children and teens have been posted to one notorious Instagram page.
The brawls shows horrific violence including gang bashings, head-stomping and teens being punched and kicked on the ground.
‘It’s very concerning because the footage is becoming more violent and the young victims in these videos are sometimes bloodied and begging for help,’ a senior police officer told the Herald Sun.
‘It needs to stop because I fear someone is going to get badly hurt in one of these fights.’
