"A rose by any other name…"

The heart-breaking teenage years of eighteen-year-old Leanne Wolfe, the years of bullying she suffered, her suicide in early 2007, and what drove her to such desperation, were the subject of the Would You Believe programme on RTE1 last Sunday night.

Such horrific and revolting events bring home to all of us the fragility of life. Any thinking person, having witnessed the bereft testimonies of Leanne's parents and sister, are unlikely to have experienced that programme without feeling a mix of fear, anger, shock, and frustration.

And, perhaps, it is the learning to manage this latter emotion of frustration that may eventually lead to the most progress in this horrendous area of 'elephant in the corner' violence we call bullying.

Frustration follows one's repeated failures to achieve something. Those very same unwelcome feelings of being frustrated have been humankind's greatest booster onwards towards new learning, discoveries, creations and insights.

Think of your children. How do you feel when they exhibit frustration? How do you deal with your own frustration? When you've had a really frustrating day, do you 'take it out' on your spouse, your sister, the cat, the dog, or the door?

The violent person who bullies others might also just be 'taking it out' on someone else!

I most certainly have no clear-cut solution to preventing violence, or bullying as it's increasingly called. (Here, I recall the famous Shakespeare line, "A rose by any other name…")

Nonetheless, I do feel frustration that current legislation which is in place - to apparently deal with most of the serious behaviours that are often talked of under the umbrella of bullying – seems to either not be enforced, or not applicable where it ought to be.

What about the following offences:

• Violent Disorder (minimum of 3 people)
• Affray (2 or more people)
• Assault with intent to cause bodily harm
• Threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour in a public place
• Blackmail, extortion, or demanding money with menaces,
• Violent Disorder
• Wilful Obstruction

Why are bullies not prosecuted for these?

Yet, how often do we hear or read of anyone being charged under any of these offences when a youngster has been clearly assaulted, blackmailed, threatened or insulted? Feel that FRUSTRATION!!!!

Where is this rising tide of violence coming from?

I have no doubt that voluminous alcohol consumption at under-age level is a big trigger of violent behaviour. Equally, I am certain that the rising sea-level of violent imagery on computer games is exerting a strong negative influence on the consciences, morals, values and behaviour of many Irish people, young and old alike.