| More than half of the 11- to 18-year-olds in Tsuen Wan and Kwai Chung districts have been involved in group bullying or fights over the past year, a poll shows. The groups usually comprise three or more members and most fight with fists, according to the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, which interviewed 232 youths between April 15 and 30. About 10 percent said they had been bullied more than 10 times during the year. Tsuen Wan and Kwai Chung Outreaching Social Work Team leader Wilson Chan Man-ho said while 64 percent of those who witnessed bullying took no action, 47 percent agreed that helping friends was the right thing to do. Surprisingly, one in five felt that violence was an effective way to solve conflict and gain recognition from their peers. ``Some youths have difficulty in controlling their emotions while some join gangs because they find it embarrassing to reject requests of friends,'' Chan said. ``Sometimes, the bullies are those who have been abused by adults. In most cases, they learn after seeing others scare away their enemies through violence.'' The Life Decode Project, supported by the Rotary Club of Lan Kwai Fong, provides counseling for youngsters. An 18-year-old girl who went through the program said she had been involved in group bullying since Secondary One, and once sent another girl to hospital after attacking her with a flower vase. ``I used to be a coward but after the course I learned that violence doesn't solve problems and can sometimes make them worse.'' |