While physical fights among young boys are not infrequent, social media has elevated trauma to “another level”, according to The Anti-Bullying Centre at DCU.

A violent attack against a 14-year-old boy in Navan went viral yesterday, with reports this morning confirming the boy was being treated at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda for facial injuries, a mild concussion and broken teeth.

Speaking to Newstalk Breakfast, DCU Anti Bullying Centre Director Professor James O’Higgins said from a bullying point of view, the attack would be considered “very extreme.”

“Most bullying doesn't get to that physical level,” he said.

“Either way it's a very disturbing thing for people to witness.”

‘Another level’

Professor O’Higgins said that “physical fights among boys in schools are not infrequent– they've always occurred, they're always distressing.”

“But there's another level now because it's elevated for the whole world,” he said.

“I think it's 5 million people have seen that video so far and of course that brings a whole other level of trauma to the individual involved.”

‘The Andrew Tate effect’

Professor O’Higgins expressed concern over the online content being consumed by young people that may encourage this level of violence.

“During COVID, a number of influencers took hold in the psyche of young men, and they represent a particular form of masculinity,” he said.

“A certain proportion of young males are looking up to them and they want to be seen to be like them.”

Professor O’Higgins said the type of masculinity these influencers promote is often linked to “aggressive behaviour.”

“When a young man or a male child goes online, often they're engaged in the help-seeking behaviour,” he said.

“They're looking for a sense of identity, they're looking for support … and what they're being presented with – of course, there's so much online for them to access – is not always good.”

Andrew Tate leaves the Court of Appeal, in Bucharest, Romania, Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023. A court in Romania's capital Bucharest ruled against an appeal by the social media personality Andrew Tate who challenged asset seizures by prosecutors who are investigating him on charges of being part of an organized crime group and human trafficking. (AP Photo/Alexandru Dobre, File)

Sensationalism

Professor O’Higgins said this behaviour is then mirrored in the viral videos of attacks against other boys.

“Those involved know they're being video recorded, and they want to be seen on video to be the most aggressive or the most powerful or the strongest, and there's a certain sensationalism that's attached to it,” he said.

“There was always a level of performance when guys in schools want to assert themselves, but now the performance is for a worldwide audience.

“They're being influenced by the MMA culture, they’re being influenced by the Andrew Tate Effect and that has pushed the type of aggression to a whole new level.”

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