Empathy-based stories of bullying at boarding school : students' perceptions and expectations

Abstract

Bullying in Indonesian boarding schools is like an invisible iceberg. The Indonesian Child Protection Commission reports 30 to 60 incidents annually, with 226 cases in 2022 alone. However, the actual numbers may be higher. Despite numerous bullying studies, none have utilized the method of empathy-based stories for data collection. The study aimed to use empathy-based stories to comprehend bullying at Boarding School X in Bogor, West Java. By Qualitative approach, the fictional narratives were used to be effectively capturing emotions and situations. There were 20 students were engaged as the primary source. Along with observations and interviews, three inquiries delved into bullying dynamics, students' expectations, and the method's effectiveness. The findings show boarding school bullying is more distressing than in public schools due to close interactions and limited parental contact. Those involved in bullying experience fear and sadness. Students seek supportive relationships with parents and the school, and friends offer them a safe outlet to express themselves. This study shed a light how the empathy-based stories create a secure space for students to share emotions, preserving self-esteem and amplifying their voices. While the study has limitations due to exam schedules, the effective method holds promise for future applications due to its success and lack of use in Indonesian research data collection.