Bullying

What is Bullying?

Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Both kids who are bullied and who bully others may have serious, lasting problems.

Types of  Bullying

Physical Bullying

This is any unwanted physical contact between the bully and the victim. This type of bullying is the most easily identifiable form of bullying. Examples include:

• punching
• pushing
• shoving
• kicking
• hazing
• inappropriate touching
• tickling
• headlocks
• pinching
• school pranks
• teasing
• fighting
• use of available objects as weapons

Emotional

Emotional bullying is any form of bullying that causes damage to a victim’s psyche and/or emotional well-being. Examples include:

·         spreading malicious rumours about people

·         keeping certain people out of a "group"

·         getting certain people to "gang up" on others (could also be considered physical bullying)

·         making fun of certain people

·         ignoring people on purpose – silent treatment or 'Sending to Coventry'

·         harassment

·         provocation

·         pretending the victim is non-existent

·         saying hurtful sentences (also a form of verbal bullying)

·         belittling 

Verbal

Verbal bullying is any slanderous statements or accusations that cause the victim undue emotional distress. Examples include:

·         directing foul language (profanity) at the target

·         using derogatory terms or deriding the person's name

·         commenting negatively on someone's looks, clothes, body etc. – personal abuse

·         tormenting

·         harassment

·         mocking

·         teasing

·         belittling 

According to the website Stop Cyberbullying, "Cyberbullying is when a child, preteen or teen is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another child, preteen or teen using the Internet, interactive and digital technologies or mobile phones." This form of bullying can easily go undetected because of lack of parental/authoritative supervision. Because bullies can pose as someone else, it is the most anonymous form of bullying. Cyber-bullying includes, but is not limited to, abuse using e-mail, blogs, instant messaging, text messaging or websites. Many who are bullied in school are likely to be bullied over the Internet, and vice versa.

Sexual bullying

Sexual bullying is "any bullying behavior, whether physical or non-physical, that is based on a person’s sexuality or gender. It is when sexuality or gender is used as a weapon by boys or girls towards other boys or girls—although it is more commonly directed at girls. It can be carried out to a person’s face, behind their back or through the use of technology.

Pack bullying

Pack bullying is bullying undertaken by a group. The 2009 Wesley Report on bullying prepared by an Australia-based group, found that pack bullying was more prominent in high schools and characteristically lasted longer than bullying undertaken by individuals. Pack bullying may be physical bullying or emotional bullying and may be perpetrated in person or in cyberspace. It can take place in schoolyards, school hallways, sports fields and gymnasiums, classrooms and on the school bus.

Bystanders to Bullying

According to Department of Education and Training of Western Australia, bullying also involves the concept of “bystanders”. A bystander may be someone who sees bullying or knows about it, but he or she is not usually directly involved. Everyone at the school can have a role in supporting those who are being bullied. All members of the whole school community need to be aware of their role in supporting those who are being bullied and their responsibility to discourage bullying behaviours when they observe them. Any member of the school community can be a bystander and can act successfully to prevent or stop bullying. Bystanders are encouraged to report to someone who can help, such as a member of the school staff.

Assignment

Create an Anti-bullying brochure to highlight the types, causes, effects/consequences and prevention measures.