Survived three attackers: Redhaired Afrikaans girl Meri Jansen van Vuuren attacked for second time by 3 very violent 'school bullies' who tried to strangle her and scratched up her face, threw her down school stairs -- Wonderboom HS Pretoria
Feb 20 2014 - Pretoria Noord Rekord reports that grade ten pupil Meri Jansen van Vuuren has waged a three-year-battle to keep bullies from attacking her at her Afrikaans High School.
Pretoria Noord Rekord journalist Natalie Grobler interviewed her on 20 February 2014 after she was attacked twice within a week by three fellow pupils.
Mari had to get medical treatment after three fellow pupils assaulted her until her blood ran on Monday by three fellow pupils when she was walking home. And on Wednesday two of the same bullies attacked her again.
Meri Jansen van Vuuren 18, and her 15-year-old sister Marlien were sent home by the school authorities on Wednesday after the second incident.
One of the pupils - whose identity is not provided - allegedly bashed Meri with a school bag, tackled her and jumped on her leg after the girl fell down.
This happened at the schoolgrounds - and after this had happened another pupil had pushed her down the school stairs. "I am too terrified to go back to school,' she told the journalist. What if it gets even worse? I don't know if an entire group of pupils will attack me next time.
This has been going on for the past three years.' Her parents have lodged complaints about the bullying against their beautiful, red-haired daughter at various police stations, said father Koos."This is as far as it goes,' he said. "What if this gets worse? It cannot go on like this.'
Her parents lodged a formal complaint of assault on Monday at the Wonderboompoort SAPS station after their daughter, bleeding from her injuries and crying, came home.
She was so full of scratch-marks and bruises that she required medical treatment at the Bougainville Hospital.
Meri said one youth and two girls were waiting for her on Monday-afternoon on the corner of 7th avenue and De Beer Street.
The youth shoved her roughly against her chest, grabbed her throat, while the two girls scratched and beat Meri. "They finally let me go but then followed me and my little sister home. They were constantly making comments against me (the newspaper did not say what the comments pertained to).
Meri, clearly still very traumatized, said the three also told her that they 'will keep this up. This is unacceptable. I have had enough. This stops now,' said her furious mother Frieda.
Deputy officer Wanda Olivier of the Wonderboompoort SAPS two 16-year-olds - a youth and a girl - were arrested Wednesday on charges of assault and released in the care of their parents.
Clinical psychologist Marita Rademeyer said victims of bullying suffer for years about the maltreatment: they develop a poor self-image, depression, and it can result in suicide."Bullies can be verbal, social and physical in their attacks. Parents must be aware of what goes on on the social media with their children,' she warned.
Rademeyer said children who are being bullied often do not speak about it: they feel isolated, lonely and deeply ashamed, so they won't necessarily seek help by themselves."Bullies have various reasons for attacking others. Even the sweetiest, cutest kids can get involved in bullying behaviour in groups when the group is led by a negative leader.'
She encourages children to report bullies so that the problem can be solved. Children who are being bullied must realize that it is never their fault but that of the bullies.
W/o Olivier said the case is being investigated. The Department of Education has not released a comment about the physical and verbal abuse against Meri.
http://rekordeast.co.za/14826/meisie-18-erg-aangerand/![]()
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