All of these are felt by victims of bullying which can, in extreme cases, result in suicide. 

What drives a group of bullies to rant, threaten and verbally and psychologically prosecute a peer? 

It is difficult to provide an answer to such a widespread social phenomenon which is present in every country in the world. 

In Italy, according to data from the 2016 Census Report, 52.7 per cent of students aged between 11 and 17 have suffered abusive, violent behaviour at the hands of their peers during the school year. 

This figure rises to 55.6 per cent among females and 53.3 per cent among young students (11-13 years). 

According to data released by the National Observatory of Adolescence, one in 10 students between 11 and 13 years are victims of cyberbullying, compared to 8.5 per cent of students between 14 and 19 years. 

Females are more likely to be victims of cyberbullies (70 per cent), while the perpetrators are more likely to be male (60 per cent).

Bullying is a widespread issue that has its roots in many factors, including an unstable family environment and a society that imposes unrealistic standards of perfection and negative role models upon young people. 

Among the most severe cases of bullying is that of a student from the Sicilian town of Cefalù, who tried to burn himself in class, tired of being a victim of physical and verbal violence.

Stopped by his classmates and teachers, he was fortunately saved.

In the northern Italian town of Pordenone, a 12-year-old student attempted suicide on January 18, 2016, by throwing herself from a window of her house because she could no longer bear the harassment she suffered at the hands of her classmates.

Before attempting to take her life, the girl had written two letters: one was an apology to her parents and the other was for her classmates and read, "Now you will be happy". 

A 16-year-old boy of Romanian origins attempted suicide in May 2013, by throwing himself from the window of the third floor of a building in Rome. 

A parked car saw him survive the 8-metre fall. 

The teenager was suffering because his father did not tolerate his sexual orientation and he was teased at school.

Bullying does not only affect students, but also teachers.

In Rome, a student threatened to dissolve their teacher in acid, with the incident being filmed and  shared on social media.

In Lucca, three students threatened their teacher in order to get a good grade, while in Treviglio, a teacher was shoved and insulted by one of her students. 

Where have respect, education and compassion gone?