When we think of bullying, we often think of lunch money thieves and schoolyard brawls, but in fact the most commonly reported form of bullying is more subtle but mistak- enly benign — that is, teasing, name-calling, and insulting words. In other cases, bullies might spread false rumors about their vic- tims, exclude them from activities, destroy or damage their property, or make threats against them. Rising in stride with the emer- gence of social technologies, cyber-bullying – the newest form of bullying – includes spreading internet rumors, sending threat- ening or negative text messages, and making unwanted contact on social media sites.


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Bullies and Victims All bullies and victims are unique individu- als, but there are some personality traits and life circumstances that members of each group tend to possess and place them at heightened risk to offend or become a victim. For example, children who are bul- lied are more likely to be perceived as being different from their peers. This can mean anything from one’s socioeconomic back- ground, to wearing unfashionable clothing, to identifying as LGBT. Those victimized are also often depressed, isolated, and less ‘popular’ than others. Occasionally, they are seen as provoking, annoying, or anti-social. Unfortunately, the bullying can exacerbate these qualities as the victims internalize the negative messages of/from their tormentors.


On the other hand, those doing the bullying tend to fall into two categories. Some are deemed ‘popular’ by the social standards that abound and, as popularity suggests, they appear to have many friends. In these situations, the perpetrator uses bullying as a way to preserve his or her social stature. In contrast, some bullies are socially isolated, withdrawn, exhibit aggressive tendencies and are less involved in school. Bullies in either category often have problems at home or may not experience the benefits of constant and positive parental involve- ment; they may have had previous instances of aggressive or violent behavior; they may have friends who also participate in bullying behavior.


Bullying Prevention Many anti-bullying programs are at least partially based on the work of the aforemen- tioned Dr. Olweus, whose research-based


VOL. 44 NO. 4 | FALL 2012


program has been reported to reduce bully- ing by half. The Olweus program, and others like it, encourages school- and community- wide involvement, regular self-assessment by schools and school districts, open com- munication between students and authority figures, and support for bullies and victims.


One of the most important steps in the Olweus program is laying a foundation for positive behavior, tolerance, and mutual respect. This can be achieved in part by de- veloping a code of conduct with input from students, teachers, and the administration, then being consistent with consequences for bullying behavior. Values such as fairness, personal responsibility, kindness, and empa- thy should be taught and explored through the classroom curriculum as well as through school-wide activities and assemblies.


Another critical component of the program is early intervention. Staff should be trained to be vigilant and recognize signs of bullying or aggressive behavior. They should intervene immediately when an incidence of bully- ing or violence occurs. Bullies and victims, once identified, should be given support from school staff, especially counsellors and teachers, so that the behavior is addressed and not repeated. To drive this point home, family counselling may be in order as well.


There are no easy answers to the bully- ing problem that our schools are currently facing, and, sadly, it is too little too late for many who have already been made vic- tims by bullies at school or online. Moving forward, however, it is becoming clear that increased awareness of the problem and increased media exposure detailing the full extent of the problem can help catalyze schools to take steps in a positive direction. As psychologist Richard L. Gross has writ- ten, “We are all either bullies, bullied, or bystanders.” In other words, each of us has a role to play in bullying prevention. From a counsellors’ perspective that includes mak- ing it known to students who, when they see bullying occurring, must notify the proper school authorities. Otherwise, it’s likely that the cycle of violence will continue unabated, and more children will fall victim to the senseless cruelty of this national epidemic.


This article is published at the following link: http://www.onlinecounselingdegrees.net/


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