COMMENT | Malaysia’s schools are facing a stark and disturbing crisis. Reported bullying cases surged from 3,887 in 2022 to 7,681 in 2024, which is a nearly 100 percent increase in two years.

Among these numbers are horrifying incidents; a 14-year-old boy stabbing a 16-year-old schoolmate in Selangor, and a 15-year-old girl being gang-raped in Malacca, with the assault recorded and circulated online.

The alarming increase in school violence has started an important conversation among parents, educators and the public. These incidents are not isolated, and they signal a wave of violence increasingly rooted in gendered online discourse.

Yet, one dimension that has yet to be articulated is the...