BULLYING

Bullying is when one person hurts or threatens someone physically, verbally, or in writing.
Both boys and girls are involved in bullying, however the methods they use are different. In a bullying situation, there are usually three types of people involved. These include:
Bully: A person who is cruel or overbearing.
Victim: One who is harmed by another.
Bystander: A person who is present at an event without participating in it.
While many people believe bullies act tough in order to hide feelings of insecurity and self-loathing, research shows bullies actually tend to be confident, with high self-esteem.1 On the other side of the spectrum, children and youth who are bullied are typically anxious, insecure, cautious and suffer from low self-esteem, rarely defending themselves.1 There are many different forms bullying can take. The following chart is an example of how bullying can be classified.

GIRLS & BOYS ARE DIFFERENT!
Girls…
Are more likely than males to report being the targets of rumors and sexual comments.
Tend to bully other girls.
Are more likely to be provoked by words or rumors.

Boys...
Are more likely to report being hit, slapped, or pushed.
Tend to bully both boys and girls.
Are more likely to be provoked by physical aggression.

 

IT HAPPENS!

• Three out of four students report that they have been bullied at some time while they were in school.
• 66% of youth are teased at least once a month.
• Six out of 10 American teens witness bullying at least once a day.
• Over the course of a year, nearly one-fourth of students reported that they had been harassed or bullied on school property because of their race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or disability.
• Nearly one-third of middle school students have been the object of sexual jokes, comments, or gestures.
• An estimated 160,000 children miss school every day out of fear of attack or intimidation by other students.
• One out of every ten students who drop out of school does so because of repeated bullying.
• Those who are bullied are five times more likely to be depressed and far more likely to be suicidal.
• Harassment and bullying have been linked to 75% of school-shooting incidents, including the shooting at Columbine High School.

 

LINKS WE LOVE:
http://www.nobully.org.nz/advicek.htm
http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/friends/bullies/
http://stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/index.asp?area=main
http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/problems/bullies.html
http://www.pacerkidsagainstbullying.org/
http://www.ncvc.org/tvp/main.aspx?dbName=Bullying
http://www.harborough.gov.uk/pp/gold/viewgold.asp?ID=4700

• Journal of the American Medical Association
• http://pathwayscourses.samhsa.gov/bully/bully_2_pg14.htm
• “Youth Reaching Youth Victims” guide by the NCVC and NCPC
• 2002 National Survey of Students Grades 5-12, Families and Work Institute
• National Crime Prevention Council, 2003
• 2001-2002 California Student Survey