|
WHAT IS BULLYING?
Bullying is another name for harassment. It can take many forms, such as pushing, kicking, hitting and threatening. It can include name-calling, humiliation, sarcasm and spreading rumors in person or through cyberbullying (over the Internet).
Bullying can have serious, long-term emotional effect. It is not simply "kids being kids." Bullying affects all aspects of children's lives, including their ability to learn.
FACTS ABOUT BULLIES:
1. Both boys and girls bully, usually same-sex classmates. Boys often use physical force, threats and ridicule. Girls often use more subtle ways such as spreading rumors or excluding others.
2. Bullies at school are often victims at home. Experts say bullies experience more hostile and abusive treatment at home than their peers.
3. Sixty percent of boys identified as bullies during middle school had a least one criminal conviction by the age of 24. Forty percent had three or more convictions by the same age.
4. Bullies don't usually act alone. They are often part of a group where intimidating others establishes group identity, dominance and status. Bullies often depend on bystander "assistant bullies" and "reinforce bullies" in the group for support.
2010 The Parent Institute, division of NIS, Inc. |