2. WHAT IS BULLYING
Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves an
imbalance of power. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time.
The bullied child and bully may have serious lasting problems. Bullying includes actions like
making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone (physically or verbally), and excluding
someone from a group on purpose.
3. TYPES OF BULLYING
There different forms of bullying. Verbal bullying is a type of bullying
and it consists of saying or writing mean things of someone. Verbal
bullying includes:
Teasing
Name-calling
Inappropriate sexual comments
Taunting
Threatening to cause harm
4. TYPES OF BULLYING
CONTINUED
Social bullying is another form of bullying. This is also referred to as
relational bullying. This type of bullying involves hurting someone’s reputation
or relationships. Social bullying includes:
Leaving someone out on purpose
Telling other children not to be friends with someone
Spreading rumors about someone
Embarrassing someone in public
5. TYPES OF BULLING
CONTINUED
Physical bullying is another form of bullying that involves hurting a
person’s body or possessions. Physical bullying includes:
Hitting, kicking, pinching
Spitting
Tripping, pushing
Taking/breaking someone’s things
Making mean/rude hand gestures
6. TYPES OF BULLYING
CONTINUED
Cyberbullying is a type of bullying that takes place over digital devices like cell phones, computers, and
tablets. Cyberbullying can happen through SMS, Text, and apps, or online in social media, forums, or
online gaming. Cyberbullying includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean
content about someone else. This type of bullying includes sharing personal or private information about
a person that causes embarrassment or humiliation. Some cyberbullying has the potential to turn into
unlawful or criminal behavior.
Common places where cyberbullying occurs are:
Social Media (Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter)
Text Message sent through devices
Instant Message
Email
7. CONCERNS ABOUT
CYBERBULLYING
The content an individual shares online can be viewed by many and it may be permanent at times
because many view or download the content and some sort of a record is created. This public
record can be seen as an online reputation and can be accessible to schools, employers, colleges,
clubs, and others who may be researching an individual now or in the future. Cyberbullying can
harm the online reputations of everyone involved . Cyberbullying Concerns :
Persistent – It is hard for children experiencing cyberbullying to find relief because it is
digital and 24/7.
Permanent – Most information shared on the internet is permanent and public. Anything
inappropriate should be reported and removed. A persons online reputation, including the bully,
can have an impact on college admissions, employment, and other areas.
Hard to Notice – Cyberbullying is harder to notice and identify by parents and teachers.
8. LAWS REGARDING
CYBERBULLYING
All states have laws requiring schools to respond to bullying, but
many states do not include cyberbullying. They don’t even specify the
role schools should play in responding to bullying that takes place
outside of school. Schools may take action different ways, either as
required by law, or with local or school policies that allow them to
discipline or take other action.
9. FREQUENCY OF
CYBERBULLYING
The 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention) indicates that about 14.9% of high
school students were electronically bullied in the 12 months prior to
the survey.
10. WHO IS AT RISK OF
BULLYING
There are no single factor that puts a child at risk of being bullied or
bullying others. Bullying can happen anywhere. Depending on the
environment, groups like lesbians, gay, bisexual, transgender or
questioning (LGBTQ) as well as socially isolated youth may be at an
increased risk of being bullied.
11. CHILDREN AT RISK OF
BEING BULLIED
Children who are bullied usually have one or more of the following risk factors:
Are perceived as different from their peers. They may be considered out of the norm
according to social norms established by the students and may differ from school to school.
Are seen as weak or unable to defend themselves
Are depressed, anxious, or have low self esteem
Are less popular than others or have few friends
Do not interact or get along with others, considered to be annoying or provoking, or antagonize
others for attention.
This doesn’t mean that every child that fits these risk factors will be bullied.
12. THOSE MORE LIKELY TO
BULLY OTHERS
There are the types of children that are more likely to bully.
Those who are well-connected to their peers, have social power, those overly concerned about their popularity, and
those who like to dominate or be in charge of others.
Others may be more isolated from their peers and may be depressed or anxious. They can also have low self esteem, be less
involved in school, easily pressured by peers, or those who do not identify with the emotions or feelings of others.
Children with these factors are more likely to bully others
Are aggressive/easily frustrated
Parental involvement is low or having issues at home
Think badly of others
Have difficulty following rules
View violence in a positive way
Have friends who bully others
13. WARNING SIGNS OF
BULLYING
There are many warning signs that may indicate that someone is affected by
bullying—either being bullied or bullying others. Recognizing the warning signs is
an important first step in taking action against bullying. Not all children who are
bullied or are bullying others ask for help.
It is important to talk with children who show signs of being bullied or bullying
others. These warning signs can also point to other issues or problems, such as
depression or substance abuse. Talking to the child can help identify the root of the
problem.
14. SIGNS THAT A CHILD IS
BEING BULLIED
Even though not all children who are being bullied exhibit warning signs it is important to look for change in
behavior in children.
Signs of a bullying problem are:
Unexplainable injuries
Missing or damaged clothing, books, electronics, or jewelry
Faking illness or being sick frequently
Changes in eating habits (not eating or over eating)
Having a hard time sleep or frequent nightmares
Grades dropping, loss of interest in school/school work (not wanting to go to school)
Loss of friends or social situations
Low self-esteem and feelings of hopelessness
Self-destructive behaviors (running away from home, harming themselves, suicide ideation
15. SINGS OF A CHILD
BULLYING OTHERS
Children may be bullying others if they:
Get into physical or verbal fights
Have friends who bully others
Are aggressive
Go to the principal’s office or to detention frequently
Unexplained extra money or new belongings
Blame others for their problems
Don’t accept responsibility for their actions
Worry about their reputation or popularity (are competitive)
16. EFFECTS OF BULLYING
Bullying affects everyone, those who are bullied, those who bully, and
those who witness bullying. Bullying is linked to many negative
outcomes and can have great impacts on mental health, substance
use, and suicide.
17. PLACES WHERE BULLYING
CAN OCCUR
Bullying can occur during school hours or after school hours. Most reported bullying
happens in one of the school’s building, there is a significant percentage of bullying that also
occurs in places like the playground or the school bus. Bullying can also happen going to or
from school, on the internet, or a popular place to hang out, or neighborhood.
18. HOW FREQUENTLY DOES
BULLYING OCCUR?
The following are sources of federally collected data on youth bullying:
The 2015 School Crime Supplement - PDF (National Center for Education
Statistics and Bureau of Justice Statistics) indicates that about 21% of students
nationwide ages 12-18 experienced some type of bullying.
The 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance(Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention) indicates that 19% of students nationwide in grades 9–12 report being
bullied on school property (12 months preceding survey).
19. BULLIED CHILDREN
Bullied children can experience negative physical, school, and mental
health issues.
Children who are bullied are more likely to experience:
Depression and anxiety
Have increased feelings of sadness/loneliness
Show changes in their sleep and eating patterns
Have a loss of interest in activities they used to enjoy.
20. BULLIED CHILDREN
CONTINUED
If not treated these issues may persist into adulthood.
Health complaints
Academic achievement may also be jeopardized (GPA and standardized test
scores & school participation)
Bullied children are also more likely to miss, skip, or drop out of school.
There is also the possibility that a very small number of bullied children might
retaliate through extremely violent measures.
12 of 15 school shootings in the 1990s, the shooters had a history of being
bullied.
21. CHILDREN WHO ARE
BULLIES
Children who bully others can engage in violent and other risky behaviors into
adulthood.
Children who bully are more likely to:
Abuse alcohol and other drugs
Get into fights, vandalize property, and drop out of school
Engage in sexual activity at an early age
Criminal convictions and traffic citations as adults
Be abusive with their romantic partners, spouses, or children
22. BYSTANDERS
Children who witness bullying are more likely to:
Have increased use of tobacco, alcohol, or other drugs
Have increased mental health problems, including depression and
anxiety
Miss or skip school
23. BULLYING & SUICIDE
Media reports often link bullying with suicide. However, most youth who are bullied do not have thoughts of suicide or
engage in suicidal behaviors.
Although kids who are bullied are at risk of suicide, bullying alone is not the cause. Many issues contribute to suicide
risk, including depression, problems at home, and trauma history. Additionally, specific groups have an increased risk of
suicide, including American Indian and Alaskan Native, Asian American, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth. This
risk can be increased further when these kids are not supported by parents, peers, and schools. Bullying can make an
unsupportive situation worse.
24. SCHOOL PREVENTION
Bullying can threaten students’ physical and emotional safety at school
and can negatively impact their ability to learn. Stopping bullying
before it starts is the best way to address bullying. School staff can do
a number of things to make schools safer and prevent bullying.
Schools can offer trainings for staff and students to prevent and
address bullying. The trainings can help sustain bullying prevention
efforts over time.
25. SUPPORTS AND SERVICES
AVAILABLE
Schools can incorporate bullying prevention in lessons and activities.
Activities schools can do to teach students about bullying :
Students can do internet or library research to look up types of bullying, how to prevent it, and
how children should respond to bullying.
Speech or role-play presentations on how to stop bullying
Discussions on reporting bullying
Creative writing speaking out against bulling.
Artistic work (writings, poems, skits, etc.) on the effects of bullying
26. SUPPORT & SERVICES
It is important to keep both parents and students engaged.
School staff are able to do a lot to prevent bullying and protect students, but
they can’t do it alone. Parents and youth play an important role in preventing
bullying at school. Engaging parents and youth in the school safety committee
can be quite beneficial. When parents and youth are both engaged it can bring
the community together to keep bullying prevention at school active and focused.
27. BENEFITS OF PARENTS
BEING INVOLVED
Research shows that school administrators (principals) can play a powerful role in bullying prevention. They
can inspire others and maintain a climate of respect and inclusion. But a principal cannot do it alone. When
parents and youth are involved in the solutions:
When parents are engaged students can feel safer and can focus on learning.
Parents also worry less.
Teachers and staff can focus more on their work.
Students are more likely to see or hear about bullying than adults and as a result schools can develop more
responsive solutions.
Because students are engaged in taking action to stop bullying the school climate has the potential to
improve.
28. PARENTS AND YOUTH
CONTRIBUTING
Schools can set the stage for meaningful parent and youth involvement, but it doesn’t happen overnight. Parents and
youth need to feel valued and be given opportunities to contribute their expertise. To sustain parent and youth
involvement, schools need to provide meaningful roles for them. For example:
Students can contribute their views and experiences with bullying. They can take leadership roles in school to
promote respect and inclusion, communicate about bullying prevention with their peers, and help develop rules and
policies.
Parents can contribute to a positive school climate through the parent teacher association, volunteering, and school
improvement events.
School staff can keep parents informed, make them feel welcome, and treat them as partners. Schools can consider
identifying a school coordinator to support parent and youth engagement strategies. Schools can set meeting times that
are convenient for parents and youth and may consider additional incentives such as providing dinner or child care.
29. SCHOOL SAFETY
COMMITTEE
Primary activities of a school safety committee could be to:
Planning bullying prevention and intervention programs. Goals should be measurable and
achievable.
Implement a bullying prevention effort. Meeting often is important to keep momentum and address
barriers.
Bullying prevention should be developed, communicated, and enforced.
Everyone should understand the problem and their role in stopping it.
Incident reports and other data should be reviewed regarding bullying assessments.
Bullying prevention efforts should be evaluated and the plan should be refined if necessary.
Advocate for the school’s work in bullying prevention to the entire school community.
Effort should be sustained over time.
30. EVIDENCE BASED
PROGRAMS & CURRICULA
Schools can choose to implement formal evidence-based programs
or curricula. There are many evaluated programs that address bullying
and they are designed to be used in elementary and middle schools.
High schools have programs available. Some things that can be taken
into consideration when selecting a program should include the
school’s demographics, capacity, and resources.
31. STAFF TRAINING TO
PREVENT BULLYING
All school staff need to be trained to ensure that bullying
prevention efforts are successful. Trainings can take place in many
forms: staff meetings, one-day training sessions, and teaching through
modeling preferred behavior. School trainings may vary due to
funding, resources, and time.
When staff are engaged and their concerns are heard training can
be successful because they feel included when their voices are heard.
32. REFERENCE
Evans, C. B., & Chapman, M. V. (2014). Bullied youth: The impact of bullying through lesbian, gay, and bisexual name calling.
American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 84(6), 644.
Gini, G., & Espelage, D. L. (2014). Peer victimization, cyberbullying, and suicide risk in children and adolescents. JAMA:
Journal of the American Medical Association, 312(5), 545-546.
Lemstra, M. E., Nielsen, G., Rogers, M. R., Thompson, A. T., & Moraros, J. S. (2012). Risk indicators and outcomes
associated with bullying in youth aged 9–15 years. Canadian Journal of public health, 103(1), 9-13.
Messias, E., Kindrick, K., & Castro, J. (2014). School bullying, cyberbullying, or both: correlates of teen suicidality in the 2011
CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 55(5), 1063-106
