'Happy slapping': The brutal viral challenge that's growing and being called an assault

Nowadays, social media is capturing the attention of the entire world, regardless of age , gender, or geographic location. This means that millions of videos and images of all types of content can be accessed with just a click or a tap on your phone. In fact, the challenges that have been running for several years have become particularly popular.

There are simple challenges, like some choreographies, but there are also risky ones, to the point of endangering one's own life or the lives of people close to the individual in question . However, those directly affected by these types of situations are young people, as they are the ones who engage in them most frequently, as these activities greatly captivate their attention. See more: A charming top: the "most wonderful" airports in the world

In this regard, it is important to mention that, in Spain, the term 'happy slapping' has gone viral since 2005, a term that was given to this challenge in the United Kingdom and which consists of recording an aggression of any kind, whether physical, verbal or sexual, and publishing the content on social networks .

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According to Save the Children, this challenge often occurs under different methods. In some cases, it occurs deliberately, and the victim is often someone who has already experienced some form of bullying or cyberbullying.

" The pretext: Bullies often look for an excuse to isolate the children they are about to bully. They prefer areas where they can't be interrupted and where there are no adults around to stop the bullying ," says Save the Children. See more: Viral skincare routines on TikTok worry dermatologists, study finds

This is how—generally— minors who are going to be beaten or harassed in some way are taken aside to be assaulted ; Furthermore, some on the other side are ready to record the situation and later share the multimedia content online, quickly racking up hundreds of views.

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However, according to various organizations, these types of behaviors and challenges, which have gone viral over time, directly affect the integrity and health of victims who are attacked, whether with or without their consent.

VALENTINA DELGADILLO ABELLO

Portfolio Journalist