October is National Bullying Prevention Month. If you're concerned about a child's mental health speak to a school social worker, or pediatrician and take our free mental health test for youth or for parents/caregivers.
Bullying is nothing new. Generations of children and adults have experienced bullying, whether during their formative years or beyond.
What is beginning to change, however, is the societal attitude towards bullying. It was once common to dismiss bullying as “kids will be kids” and simply encourage the victim to “grow a thick skin” or “toughen up.”
Thankfully, these kinds of attitudes are quickly becoming a thing of the past. This is perhaps because, while bullying has always been present, the seriousness of the cases has risen to a new level in the last few generations.
Many cases of school shootings can be traced back in one way or another to bullying, alongside other mental health conditions. What’s more, with the rise of the internet and the impact cyberbullying can have on younger individuals – even leading to suicide – the problem is arguably more serious than it ever was.
Reports show that, in 2019, around 10% of children aged 8-10 were victims of cyberbullying – with this number rising to 20% when aged 12-14. And this is after the government stepped in to create anti-bullying laws in an effort to encourage institutions to act.
What is bullying anyway?
As with anything, before we can tackle an issue, we need to understand what it is. And this is never as simple as it seems.
Last year, decision makers at UNESCO made efforts to revisit the definition of bullying, arguing that previous definitions of bullying are no longer apt. The previous definition of bullying was an “unwanted aggressive behavior that is repeated over time and involves an imbalance of power or strength”.
However, the results in actually being able to reduce bullying in schools has been slow. There has only been a 19% decrease in those committing acts of bullying and a 15% drop in the rate of students who are victims of bullying.
The author of the article – a UNESCO Chair – argues that we must “reassess our understanding and approaches to bullying, especially in our increasingly complex world, where both in-person and online bullying intertwine with personal and societal issues.”
The proposed new definition reads:
“School bullying is a damaging social process that is characterized by an imbalance of power driven by social (societal) and institutional norms. It is often repeated and manifests as unwanted interpersonal behavior among students or school personnel that causes physical, social, and emotional harm to the targeted individuals or groups, and the wider school community.”
So what’s different here? The idea is to encourage a “whole-education” approach to not only implement strong anti-bullying policies but to also encourage education and learning across the board, including students, teachers, and parents.
The consequences of bullying
These efforts should be welcome as the impact of bullying of any kind can be devastating, both physically and emotionally.
Severe consequences of bullying
The most severe cases involving bullying, whether extensive use of violence or victims’ tragic self harm, get the most attention. As well they should.
School shootings, which are horrifically common, have been linked to bullying. According to a 2019 report by the U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center, most perpetrators of school gun violence were themselves bullied. And many of them extensively – 80% of the 35 analyzed were bullied by their classmates, with 57% facing bullying that lasted for weeks, months or years.
Suicide, a topic which we have discussed before on this blog, is another severe consequence of bullying. While there is no one lone cause of suicide, it’s undeniable that teenagers who are victims of bullying are more likely to experience suicidal thoughts and attempts.
Less visible effects of bullying
And yet, we should not underestimate the long-term effects of more minor (for want of a better word) cases of bullying.
This isn’t to say they aren’t as consequential for the victim – bullying can have a long-term impact on an individual’s ongoing mental health and self image. The issue is that these effects are more easily hidden and less visible to those around us.
Children and adolescents who suffer from extended bullying are more likely to experience depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. They also express feelings of loneliness and want to avoid school. What’s more, these problems are likely to persist into adulthood.
The bullies themselves can also experience, or are already experiencing, adverse mental health issues. They are more likely to go on to engage in wider antisocial behavior in or outside of school, as well as higher likelihood of substance abuse and aggression.
Tackling the problem of bullying
UNESCO advocates for a whole-education approach that involves all parties taking an active role in preventing and addressing bullying.
Legal approaches
Laws to play an important role in this and the steps taken in the last few decades are welcome. That said, more could arguably be done, particularly on the severe end related to gun violence.
Active institutional support
School institutions should also, in a general sense, make an effort to not just adhere to their legal obligations but to go above and beyond to do what they can to help those at risk – both bullies and victims.
A good step here would be to introduce topics around bullying into the educational curriculum.
Individual staff members
Within the school, teachers and other staff members need to create a culture of not turning a blind eye. Bullying should not be accepted as normal under any circumstances and they should remain vigilant for signs, as well as staying up to date on effective prevention strategies.
Student responsibility
Some studies suggest that simply witnessing bullying, even if you aren’t the target, can awaken feelings of anxiety. Students who see someone being bullied should be encouraged to act, whether that means reporting it or safely speaking up for the victim.
Parental support
Finally, parents have a key role to play as well. Parents of bullies and victims should be on the lookout for any warning signs and communicate with the teaching staff should an issue arise.
For some parents, it can be difficult to accept that their child is bullying other children, as it may go against their perception of their personality. Remember that children act out for a number of reasons and their actions don’t define who they are. The important point is to help them as soon as possible before the negative behaviors become more difficult to correct.
Bullying is not just a schoolyard issue
This post has focused mainly on child and teenage bullying but it’s important to realize that it doesn’t simply stop the moment a child turns eighteen or twenty one. Bullying can manifest in the workplace, on the road, online, in romantic relationships, or literally anywhere where people regularly interact.
Bullying is a widespread issue that can rear its head throughout our lives. No matter when or where, we need to stand up and face it head on.
Struggling with bullying or know someone who is? Reach out to us today for support.
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