POLICE ASSOCIATION OF NOVA SCOTIA 163 ------------------------------------------------------------ WHAT IS BULLYING? Bullying can be defined as repeated and systematic harassment and attacks on others. Bullying can be perpetrated by individuals or groups. Bullying takes many forms, and can include may different behaviours, such as: • physical violence and attacks • verbal taunts, name-calling and put-downs • threats and intimidation • extortion or stealing of money and possessions • exclusion from the peer group Racially or ethnically-based verbal abuse and genderbasedput-downs are also found in the bullying situation. How prevalent is bullying? • Studies in several countries have consistently shown that at least 15 per cent of students in schools are involved. • About 9 per cent are victims. • About 7 per cent bully others repeatedly. • More students in younger grades are victimized. • Boys are more likely to be bullies than girls. Dynamics of Bully-Victim Situations • A power differential exists between the bully and the victim. • Bullies tend to be confident, aggressive, and lack empathy for the victim. • Bullies come from homes where there is poor supervision, and modelling of and tolerance for aggressive behaviour. • Victims tend to be quiet, passive children with few friends. • Victims do not respond effectively to aggressive actions. • Bullying is often done so that adults are not aware of it. • Victims are ashamed, and often don't tell an adult. Research on Bullying Professor Dan Olweus, the pre-eminent researcher of bullying among school-age children and youth, defines bullying as follows: A student is being bullied or victimized when he or she is exposed, repeatedly and over time, to negative actions on the part of one or more other students (Olweus, 1993, p. 9). Apower imbalance is found at the heart of the bullying dynamic. A student who is stronger, more aggressive, bolder, and more confident than average typically bullies other students who are weaker, more timid, and who tend not to retaliate or act in an assertive manner. Sometimes older students bully younger ones, or upper year students bully new students. Sometimes bullies pick on students who are disadvantaged by being new immigrants or are from a cultural minority group. As with other interpersonal violence, such as dating violence, racial harassment, child abuse, and wife assault, the power imbalance is a main factor in understanding what is going on. Interventions must take this into account. It is a myth that bullies are insecure underneath their bravado. Research indicates that their self esteem is, on average, average or above average. It appears that bullies tend to come from homes where aggressive strategies to conflict resolution is modelled, although more research needs to be done on this connection. Victims tend to be timid and, in the case of boys, tend to be physically weaker and less skilled than bullies. Victims tend to lack assertive responses to peer aggression, and they tend to be low on skills for making friends. They generally do not retaliate when they are picked on, so that they come to be seen as "safe" targets for bullying. Prevalence of Bullying Bullying is an old and widespread problem. Most of us can recall episodes of bullying that we or our classmates were subjected to during our school years. Research estimates indicate that the problem affects far more students than teachers or parents are aware of. A recent study of 1041 students in four Toronto area schools (Grades K-8) showed that the proportion of children who reported being victimized more than once or twice over the term was between 12 and 15 per cent (Pepler, Craig, Ziegler & Charach, 1994). The proportion of students who reported having bullied others more than once or twice over the term ranged from 7 to 9 per cent. BULLYING: INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND TEACHERS Marlies Sudermann, Ph.D., C.Psych. Peter G. Jaffe, Ph.D., C.Psych. Elaine Schieck, B.A. 1996 continued...
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