BullyingBullyingIf you do not intervene, bullies, victims, If you do not intervene, bullies, victims, and bystanders will continue to believe and bystanders will continue to believe in the power of bullying, rather than the in the power of bullying, rather than the

power of prevention.power of prevention.

Georgia CTAE Resource NetworkInstructional Resources Office

July 2009

Bullying BasicsBullying Basics

In a U.S. national study with youth in In a U.S. national study with youth in grades 6 through 10, almost 30% - more grades 6 through 10, almost 30% - more

than 5.7 million – were involved in than 5.7 million – were involved in moderate or frequent bullying during moderate or frequent bullying during the current school term, as a bully, a the current school term, as a bully, a

victim, or bothvictim, or both

What is Bullying?What is Bullying?

Bullying is a form of emotional or physical Bullying is a form of emotional or physical abuse that has three defining abuse that has three defining characteristics:characteristics:

1.1. DeliberateDeliberate – a bully’s intention is to hurt – a bully’s intention is to hurt someonesomeone

2.2. RepeatedRepeated – a bully often targets the – a bully often targets the same victim again and again.same victim again and again.

3.3. Power ImbalancedPower Imbalanced – a bully chooses – a bully chooses victims he or she perceives as victims he or she perceives as vulnerable.vulnerable.

Many levels of various formsMany levels of various forms

1.1. Physical BullyingPhysical Bullying – poking, pushing, – poking, pushing, hitting, kicking, beating up.hitting, kicking, beating up.

2.2. Verbal BullyingVerbal Bullying – yelling, teasing, – yelling, teasing, name-calling, insulting, threatening to name-calling, insulting, threatening to harm.harm.

3.3. Indirect BullyingIndirect Bullying – ignoring, excluding, – ignoring, excluding, spreading rumors, telling lies, getting spreading rumors, telling lies, getting others to hurt someone.others to hurt someone.

Look Back...Look Back...

Can you remember times when you were Can you remember times when you were repeatedly teased, humiliated, or shut out of a repeatedly teased, humiliated, or shut out of a group? When you were forced to do something group? When you were forced to do something you didn’t want to do by someone you you didn’t want to do by someone you considered more powerful than you? When considered more powerful than you? When YOU intentionally hurt someone who was YOU intentionally hurt someone who was vulnerable, or witnessed this happening to vulnerable, or witnessed this happening to someone else? If you are like most people, you someone else? If you are like most people, you remember...and these memories can last a remember...and these memories can last a lifetime.lifetime.

Story SwapStory SwapThis activity will...This activity will... Let children know that bullying affects Let children know that bullying affects

everyone and that they are not alone.everyone and that they are not alone. Help children understand that bullying, Help children understand that bullying,

while common, is not acceptable.while common, is not acceptable. Establish the groundwork for future Establish the groundwork for future

conversations about bullying.conversations about bullying.

Brainstorm things to stop or prevent.

Invite children to write story or draw pictures.

Look Out...Look Out...Most bullying is NOT reported because children...Most bullying is NOT reported because children...

Don’t recognize it as bullyingDon’t recognize it as bullying Fear retaliationFear retaliation

Are embarrassedAre embarrassed Don’t know how to talk about itDon’t know how to talk about it

Don’t want to appear weakDon’t want to appear weak Don’t have a trusted adult to Don’t have a trusted adult to confide inconfide in

Believe they deserve itBelieve they deserve it Think adults won’t understandThink adults won’t understand

Want to belongWant to belong Think nothing can be done Think nothing can be done about itabout it

Warning SignsWarning Signs Unexplained damage or Unexplained damage or

loss of clothing/other loss of clothing/other personal itemspersonal items

Evidence of physical Evidence of physical abuse, such as bruises abuse, such as bruises and scratchesand scratches

Loss of friends; changes Loss of friends; changes in friendsin friends

Reluctance to participate Reluctance to participate in activities with peersin activities with peers

Thoughts of suicideThoughts of suicide

Loss of interest in favorite Loss of interest in favorite activitiesactivities

Unusually sad, moody, Unusually sad, moody, anxious, lonely, or anxious, lonely, or depresseddepressed

Problems with eating, Problems with eating, sleeping, bed-wettingsleeping, bed-wetting

Headaches, Headaches, stomachaches, or other stomachaches, or other physical complaintsphysical complaints

Decline in school Decline in school achievementachievement

““Cyber-bullying”Cyber-bullying”

More than 1/3 (36%) of teenagers and more More than 1/3 (36%) of teenagers and more than 1/6 (17%) of children ages 6 to 11 than 1/6 (17%) of children ages 6 to 11 have mean, threatening, or embarrassing have mean, threatening, or embarrassing things said about them online. Teenage things said about them online. Teenage girls are more likely (44%) to experience girls are more likely (44%) to experience this form of online bullying than teenage this form of online bullying than teenage boys (28%).boys (28%).

Look Around...Look Around...

Who Is Involved?Who Is Involved? Bullies – Select and train victims to comply Bullies – Select and train victims to comply

to their demands.to their demands. Victims – Reward the bully by yielding Victims – Reward the bully by yielding

control or showing signs of intimidation.control or showing signs of intimidation. Bystanders – Play and important and Bystanders – Play and important and

pivotal role in promoting or preventing pivotal role in promoting or preventing bullying.bullying.

The BullyThe BullyAs they mature into adulthood, children who have As they mature into adulthood, children who have

bullied others often show higher rates of:bullied others often show higher rates of:

AggressionAggression Difficulty controlling Difficulty controlling emotionsemotions

Antisocial behaviorAntisocial behavior Traffic violationsTraffic violations

Carrying weapons to schoolCarrying weapons to school Convictions for drunk drivingConvictions for drunk driving

Dropping out of high schoolDropping out of high school DepressionDepression

Convictions for crimeConvictions for crime SuicidesSuicides

In a follow-up study of boys in grades 6-9, bullies were found to be 4x more likely than their non-bullying peers to be convicted of at least one crime by the age of24.Surprisingly, 60% of these former bullies had committed at least one crime, and 35% had committed three or more crimes.

The VictimThe Victim

Low self-confidenceLow self-confidence AnxietyAnxiety FearfulnessFearfulness SubmissivenessSubmissiveness Depression or sad Depression or sad

appearanceappearance Limited sense of humorLimited sense of humor Below-average size, Below-average size,

strength, or coordinationstrength, or coordination

Feelings of helplessnessFeelings of helplessness Self-blame for problemsSelf-blame for problems Social withdrawal and Social withdrawal and

isolationisolation Poor social skillsPoor social skills Low popularityLow popularity Few or no friendsFew or no friends Excessive dependence Excessive dependence

on adultson adults

Victims tend to share these characteristics and tendencies:

Who is most at Risk?Who is most at Risk? Children who belong to a minority racial or ethnic Children who belong to a minority racial or ethnic

groupgroup Children with mental or physical disabilitiesChildren with mental or physical disabilities Children who are overweightChildren who are overweight Children who are new to the communityChildren who are new to the community Children who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or Children who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or

trans-gendered (or who have parents who are...)trans-gendered (or who have parents who are...) Children who don’t “fit in”Children who don’t “fit in”

Adults need to pay special attention to children who are most at risk. Bullies are Especially attracted to passive victims who react by crying or running away or

Who seem to lack self-confidence. But anyone can be a target.

Standing Up!Standing Up!

Potential victims can protect themselves by Potential victims can protect themselves by learning to respond assertively.learning to respond assertively.

Role-playing exercises help children use body Role-playing exercises help children use body language, facial expressions, tone of voice, and language, facial expressions, tone of voice, and words to respond assertively to a bully.words to respond assertively to a bully.

Assertive responses neither provoke the bully Assertive responses neither provoke the bully nor reward him or her with submissionnor reward him or her with submission

Each day, 160,000 children in the U.S. stay home from school for fear of being

bullied.

The BystanderThe BystanderHurtful Bystanders:Hurtful Bystanders: InstigateInstigate the bullying by the bullying by

prodding the bully to prodding the bully to begin.begin.

EncourageEncourage the bullying by the bullying by laughing, cheering, or laughing, cheering, or making comments that making comments that further stimulate the bully.further stimulate the bully.

JoinJoin the bullying once it the bullying once it has begun.has begun.

PassivelyPassively accept the accept the bullying by watching and bullying by watching and doing nothingdoing nothing

Helpful Bystanders:Helpful Bystanders: Directly interveneDirectly intervene, by , by

discouraging the bully, discouraging the bully, defending the victim, or defending the victim, or redirecting the situation redirecting the situation away from bullying.away from bullying.

Get helpGet help, by rallying , by rallying support from peers to support from peers to stand up against bullying stand up against bullying or by reporting the or by reporting the bullying to adultsbullying to adults

Bystanders rarely play a completely neutral role, Bystanders rarely play a completely neutral role,

although they may think they do.although they may think they do.

Why don’t more bystanders Why don’t more bystanders intervene?intervene?

““In the end, we will In the end, we will remember not the remember not the words of our enemies, words of our enemies, but the silence of our but the silence of our friends.”friends.”

- Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.- Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Look Ahead...Look Ahead...Creating a Bully-Free Environment:Creating a Bully-Free Environment: Lay the groundworkLay the groundwork Develop connections, a team approach, a support Develop connections, a team approach, a support

systemsystem Build a shared visionBuild a shared vision Create an inclusive environmentCreate an inclusive environment Establish clear bully prevention policies and proceduresEstablish clear bully prevention policies and procedures Communicate key concepts to everyone in the programCommunicate key concepts to everyone in the program Supervise children responsiblySupervise children responsibly Encourage children and staff to speak out as soon as Encourage children and staff to speak out as soon as

they witness or experience bullyingthey witness or experience bullying Provide ongoing education and training for all staffProvide ongoing education and training for all staff Involve parentsInvolve parents