Fear is what keeps people from defending themselves. Bullies generally have a leader and a couple of witless cowardly cronies who are there to watch and snicker as the leader torments his victims. Beat the crap out of him and his cronies will not step in to protect him. Bullies prefer victims who won’t fight back.
Your points were once good sense and in some situations they will work. Now many kids in middle school are in gangs and they think they will be cool when they get their first kill accomplished. My son wanted to try public school in 9th grade so he could play football. He got more than he bargained for with kids threatening him with knives at locker breaks. Society has gone to pot with no consequences and enabling rather than discipline. If we don’t get back to rewarding hard work, and honorable behavior the jungle ethos will destroy every vestige of safety as the complex society fostered by equal justice, individual responsibility, & accountability crumbles.