Understanding the Full Picture
When we think about bullying, images of playground confrontations flood our mind. But bullying is far more than what we really think. What is bullying? There are many myths surrounding bullying and it is important to separate the myths from the facts. The following are some of the ideologies of many teens. Respond TRUE/FALSE.
- Bullying involves only cases of physical assault. T/F
- Girls do not bully. T/F
- Bullying can lead to death of the victim. T/F
- Fat and short people are the only victims of bullying. T/F
- Nothing can be done about bullying. T/F
As you read on, you will get the right response to all the above. In this first part, we will address the first three (3) ideologies.
- Bullying: The true picture
Bullying is any unwanted (aggressive, threatening, frightening and domineering) behavior by another person or group of persons who are not siblings or dating partners that reoccurs many times or most likely to reoccur. Bullying is a form of youth violence. Bullying can take various forms. It can be:
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- Physical (hitting, tripping, pushing, shoving, tickling, stealing and breaking things).
- Social/relational (spreading rumors, leaving out of a group).
- Verbal (teasing, insults, name calling). Most bullies do not use physical attack, they use their mouth; they ridicule, insult, threaten, and use sarcasm and satire.
With the advent of internet, bullying has taken a new form. Some teens are being bullied online via chat rooms, text messages, instant messages, emails, videos or photos shared on a website or through phones. This is called cyber-bullying.
- Who is a Bully?
Regardless of the gender, anybody can be a bully. If you are a perpetrator of any of the above, you are a bully. It is not just a problem for boys. Read more
- Effects of Bullying
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Bullying hurts the victim
The effects of bullying, both short-term and long-term can be profound on the victims, perpetrators and those who are both (bully/victims). Some of the effects happen on the outside, but there is a lot happening on the inside that we don’t get to see. Victimized persons become very sad, emotionally distressed, sleep deprived, depressed, constant fear sets in. They become less of themselves, they no longer want to do the things they enjoy doing anymore and may commit suicide. If you are a BULLY, you are doing this much DAMAGE to another HUMAN than you imagined. STOP BULLYING. Bullies are at increased risk for substance (drug) use, academic problems, and violence later in adolescence and adulthood. Their actions may lead to the death of their victims. Bully/victims suffer the most serious consequences and are at greater risk for both mental health and behavior problems.
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