BULLYING HURTS…SERIOUSLY
Bully – Free Forum 2007
Guest Speaker: Dr Ken Rigby
Adjunct Professor (Research) University of South Australia
Bully-Free Forum 2007
What Adults Need To Know
Ken Rigby, PhD University of South Australia
What is needed to address school bullying more effectively
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Agreement about what ‘bullying’’ is Recognition of its prevalence in a school Agreement regarding the consequences of school bullying Awareness of the factors that give rise to bullying in schools Production and implementation of a ‘whole school’ anti-bullying policy Well-considered preventative strategies Effective ways of intervening to stop bullying after it has has been identified.
Means of bullying
Direct Verbal Insulting language Name calling Ridicule Cruel teasing or taunting Physical Striking, kicking Spitting Happy slapping Throwing objects Using a weapon Threatening motions Staring atsomeone Indirect Persuading another person to verbally abuse someo Spreading malicious rumours Anonymous phone calls, Offensive sms and emails. Deliberately and unfairly excluding someone Removing, hiding things Repeatedly turning away
Gestural
Defining bullying
It is conceived as a form of aggression, though some aggression is not bullying. It involves an imbalance of power in which the more powerful party seeks to hurt somebody without any justification. Generally conceived as the systematic abuse of power It is not the same thing as people of equal strength or power quarrelling or fighting. It may sometimes involve violence; sometimes not.
Continuum of severity
Prevalence of bullying
Recall there needs to be some agreement about its prevalence ! You can accept that it will probably be like most schools
It will be mostly verbal and/or indirect – with a minority being bullied physically – Around 50% will have experienced some bullying – Around 1 in 6 will claim to be bullied weekly – The highest incidence will be first year of high school
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Or you can do a good survey (see www. education.unisa.edu.au/bullying/
The harm done by bullying
You can draw upon research that shows that
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Children who are continually bullied are likely to become anxious, isolated, angry, depressed, absent from school in some cases suicidal Children who bully are more likely than others to be depressed and prone to act in a delinquent way in future years if they are not helped.
Or you can do a survey – and ESPECIALLY read what students who have been seriously bullied have to say about how they have felt.
Factors that give rise to bullying
Characteristics of the perpetrator Vulnerability of the person targeted The existence of prejudice against certain types of children Negative parenting and family background Group pressure from students who target those unlike themselves Inadequacies of school policy and practices relating to bullying
Vulnerability of targeted students
1.
Having difficulties in defending themselves
Physically weak Lacking in social skills, especially assertiveness Having few if any friends
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2. Being emotionally highly reactive
Easily disturbed or upset Hard to soothe – prone to catastrophise
3 Having specific physical deficits
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Impaired mobility, clumsiness ,stammering, defective hearing or vision
4. Having specific cognitive deficits
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Mental retardation Asperger syndrome
Signs of being bullied
Physical Unexplained bruises, scratches or cuts. Torn or damaged clothes or belongings Psychosomatic oNon-specific pains, headaches, abdominal pains, mouth s School related behaviours Fear of walking to or from school. Change of route to school. Afraid of riding on the school bus. Asking to be driven to school. Unwilling to go to school. Deterioration in school work Coming home starving (because lunch money was taken). Reporting loss of possessions. Asking for or stealing money (to pay the bully). Changes in social behaviour Having fewer friends. Not wanting to go out. Being invited out much less often. Emotional indicators Appearing upset, unhappy, lonely, tearful, distressed, becoming withdrawn and depressed. Suicidal thinking. Unexpected mood swings Worrying behaviours Irritability and temper outbursts. Stopping eating, over- eating, being unable to sleep, nightmares, bed wetting, crying out during sleep. Indicators of poor health Being generally tired or ‘run-down.’, Low resistance to infection and recurring illnesses. Threatening or attempting suicide.
The School Policy
A statement of the school’s stand against bullying A succinct definition of bullying with a listing of the different kinds, both direct and indirect. Explicit reference should be made to racial, sexual and cyber bullying. A declaration of the rights of individuals in the school community - students, teachers, other workers and parents - to be free of bullying A statement of the responsibilities of those who see bullying going on to seek to stop it. A general description of what the school will do in seeking to prevent bullying, including undertaking risk management procedures and the inclusion of content relating to bullying in the school curriculum. In general terms, how the school proposes to deal with cases of bullying. An undertaking to collaborate with parents in addressing the problem of bullying, especially in the resolution of cases in which action is to be taken by both the school and parents. An undertaking to evaluate the policy in the near future
Implementation
Large differences between the outcomes of antibullying programs can often be related to how thoroughly they are implemented. Implementation is more thorough when
The school community is actively involved in developing the policy Everyone knows what it says and agrees with it People are sufficiently skilled to apply it There is strong leadership in a school to promote it
Preventative strategies risk management undertaken by the school
Identifying places where and times when bullying is more likely to occur and providing as far as possible reasonable surveillance : Playground – especially towards the end of the break Toilets Wherever children congregate for extended periods – the canteen, the school bus. Providing effective classroom management Arriving on time to classes, not leaving the class unattended Noticing how children are treating each other- and discouraging any negative behaviour Modelling respectful behaviour Keeping children engaged and interested
Classroom work on bullying
Knowledge What bullying is Why it must be stopped – the harm it does The content of the school’s anti-bullying policy Attitudes Being unprejudiced Being cooperative and empathic Resisting negative group pressure Self-acceptance, as an antidote to discouragement Skills Being assertive and not acting aggressively Resolving differences constructively Helping others who are being bullied, as a good bystander. Reacting appropriately and effectively if bullied
What good bystanders say about helping
Moral sentiments It feels like the right thing to do. It is wrong to harass someone like that. It is not right to bully I don’t know why. I just would Empathy I feel sorry for them and do not want them to get hurt. They need support – they may be scared’ Identifying with the victim I can imagine how the person [the victim] would feel. If I got pushed over I wouldn’t like it I have been in similar situations and I know what it feels like to be bullied. If it was me, I would like somebody to help me. Conditional helping If he was my friend I would stick up for him.
I would support friends if they were being insulted but if I didn’t know them I would ignore it. Personal gain
It is nice to help and I would probably make a new friend if I did. I could become a hero!
What some other children say
Not my concern It is not my problem if someone I don’t know is getting picked on. It isn’t nice to intrude on someone’s business. I am just an onlooker. They can solve it all by themselves It’s none of my business. Fear of the consequences: The people may turn on ME! If I got involved I would probably get bashed. I would be scared it would happen to me. It might be embarrassing. I don’t want to be a ‘sissy’ by telling a teacher. It’s the victim’s responsibility He [the victim] should stick up for himself
Most people can take care of themselves and sometimes the [victims] deserve it.’ Action would be futile
They would not take any notice of me. If I ignored it, it might stop, because they are not getting any attention.’
What supporters of the bully say
The safe option
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Everyone would be on the insulter’s side so I’m not going on the insulted side because I would get drilled
Enjoyment of conflict I love to watch fights.’ Every kid likes to have fun and I am part of it. Admiration of aggressors The person insulting the other person is cool and ROCKS. Sadistic feelings The person pushing [the victim] is me or my friend and you gotta be cruel. Some people deserve to get their heads kicked in because they are dickheads.
Why it is important to encourage bystanders to act
1. Most bullying (around 85%) occurs when student bystanders are present 2. Teachers rarely hear about it. 3. When bystanders speak up to discourage it, there is a 50% chance that it will stop 4. When would-be bullies think that bystanders will object they are less likely to bully
What teachers can do to promote positive bystander behaviour
Obtain students’ written reactions to a representation (a picture or video) of bystanders in a bullying situation. Feed back to them later their recorded responses – and promote discussion Don’t tell them what they ought to do ! Generally positive comments will greatly outweigh negative ones – and provide the necessary peer pressure If possible, gain their cooperation in discovering how positive bystander behaviour can be applied
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Teacher/Counsellor intervention
Research around the world indicates that generally such interventions are often not very effective. Students in England report that after telling a teacher about 20% do nothing In Australia with young primary school children teacher intervention improves matters for about 60% of the time. With older children intervention by teachers usually makes no difference – and in 10% of cases the situation gets worse. Better ways of intervening are needed in all countries !
Methods of intervention: an overview
Rules and sanctions Restorative Justice Mediation The Support Group Method The Method of Shared Control
Major requirements
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Agreement about what ‘bullying’ is Knowing how prevalent bullying is in a school Recognizing the consequences of school bullying Being aware of the factors that give rise to bullying in schools Endorsing and implementing an agreed a ‘whole school’ anti-bullying policy Adopting well-considered preventative strategies Employing effective and appropriate ways of intervening to stop bullying after it has been identified.
The means of addressing cases of bullying
Rules and Sanctions Mediation Restorative Justice The Support Group Method The Method of Shared Concern
Choosing the Method
Factors: 1. The degree of severity of the bullying 2. The availability of relevant expertise 3. The degree of imbalance between the students involved 4. Whether the ‘bullying’ has been provoked ? 5. Whether there is group involvement 6. Whether the school is prepared to endorse the use of a particular method
Rules and sanctions
The traditional method: usually the ‘sanctions’ involve some penalty or punishment according to agreed guidelines and judgments regarding the culpability of the perpetrator. Requires an objective inquiry into the ‘facts’ of the case and determination of degree of responsibility for the act (s) There must be acceptable sanctions available – in most schools, these are non-physical
Responsibility for dealing with cases
Normally designated teachers, sometimes the principal, sometimes a teacher has the responsibility for applying rules and sanctions Occasionally schools have delegated some responsibility to a trained group of students who constitutes a so-called bully court. They ‘try’ children accused of bullying – and recommend outcomes.
Pros of the Method of Rules and Sanctions
It is seen as treating the bully as he or she deserves Its use sends a message to deter others who might otherwise bully There is no hint of favouritism: everybody is treated the same, according to agreed rules and sanctions. It is relatively easy to administer such a system. It is often popular, especially among those who demand ‘justice’ for the victim
Cons of Rules and Sanctions
There are difficulties in devising rules to fit all cases, especially indirect forms of bullying It may ignore the fact that in some cases of bullying there is some degree of provocation. Those punished often seek to continue the bullying in subtle ways that are hard to detect Protection of the victim, especially out of school, is often very difficult to provide. It is unlikely that there will be a ’change of heart’ on the part of the bully. It generally does not provide an enduring solution
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Restorative Justice or Practices
This is a means of getting perpetrators of bullying to become aware of the harm they have done, to feel a sense of shame and become motivated to put things right. One application is through Community Conferences at which the victim of abuse is enabled to speak up about the harm that has been done, and do so in the presence of the bully and others, including those who care about the students, for example, parents. Sometimes restorative justice practices are used less formally by teachers in the presence of the victim, the bully and other students. In each case, the bully is expected to feel shame and respond constructively in order to repair the damaged relationship and to become re-integrated into the school community.
Restorative Justice: Pros
It is consistent with the ideal that bullies should recognise the harm they do, become contrite, and subsequently become reintegrated into the community. It is a process that respects the individual who has bullied someone; at the same time insisting that the action undertaken by the bullies is socially unacceptable and should be recognised by everyone as such. It avoids the use of ‘meaningless’ punishment, encouraging instead actions for example apologies, designed to repair damaged relationships. Facilitators of the method have reported some successful applications, which have involved enduring solutions.
Restorative Justice: Cons
How the bully feels may vary: some may not feel shame; others may feel temporary shame – and subsequently feel stigmatised and resentful. The bully may then decide to bully in more subtle and less obtrusive ways - and the victim may be hard to protect It may be impracticable to arrange a Community Conference, which includes the ‘supporters’ of the bully and the victim. An expert facilitator may not be available Its use (through Community conferences) is restricted to severe cases - as an alternative to taking legal proceedings.
Mediation: Pros
It recognises that there may be two sides to an issue involving bullying, for example, the victim may have been acting provocatively It seeks to resolve a problem by taking a neutral stance, without resorting to punishment, which (it is thought) could make matters worse. The approach is popular in some places with (and funded by) some educational jurisdictions who are prepared to provide training for students in peer mediation techniques. If conflicts between students can be resolved peacefully, an ethos is created in which bullying is less likely to occur.
Mediation: Cons
In most bully/victim cases there is a substantial imbalance of power and the perpetrators are regarded as ‘in the wrong. ’ This makes it difficult or impossible to take a neutral stance - which is a requirement of the mediation approach. Teachers and counsellors who can remain detached and neutral in cases of abusive behaviour are often hard to find. Students who bully others can and often do give reassurances that the bullying will stop, but continue to do so usually in subtle but equally harmful ways. An emerging consensus appears to be that mediation processes in dealing with bullying have quite limited applicability in schools, although they may play a part in some phases of interventions and are certainly helpful in promoting a school ethos in which bullying is less likely to occur.
The Support Group Approach
Meet first with the victim and discover the deep hurt that he or she has suffered at the hands of the bully Then convene a meeting with the identified bullies plus a number of other students who are expected to be to be helpful. Knowledge about the plight of the victim is shared with the group by the teacher. Once positive suggestions on how to help solve the problem are forthcoming, the teacher leaves, confident that the victim will be helped. The situation is subsequently monitored carefully
The Support Group Method: Pros
It recognises that a strong blaming approach can result in children becoming resistant to considering how they can help solve a problem of relationships. The Method can have the effect of empowering students to come up with a solution. It sees bullying as best addressed in a social context which includes contributions from other students, especially from those who are sympathetic to the victim Positive results have been reported repeatedly by practising teachers using the method.
The Support Group Method: Cons
It assumes that children who bully can feel empathy towards their victims or share the teacher’s concern over the victimization. This may not always be so. Some believe that sanctions are needed (a) because bullies deserve to be punished and (b) sanctions can have a deterrent effect on others who might otherwise bully. It assumes that in each class there are children who will support the victim and help pressure others to behave constructively towards him or her. In some classes this may not
Some problems in dealing with bullying in secondary schools
The use of punishment (though probably unavoidable in severe cases of bullying) is generally ineffective and sometimes counter-productive Much bullying occurs because of pressure to do so from groups to which individuals belong; yet confronting and tackling bullies in groups is normally very difficult Mediated solutions, though desirable, are difficult to achieve because of the power imbalance.
The Method of Shared Concern as a possible solution to some bully/victim cases. It seeks first to influence suspected bullies individually rather than as a group It does so by seeking each person’s cooperation rather than through the use of threats It seeks to provide some protection for the victim by making it clear that he or she has not informed on anybody Only after progress has been made with individuals, is the group encountered – and with their approval a final meeting is arranged with the victim present. Only at this stage is the group is encountered ! Given that the imbalance of power and the threatening behaviour of the bullies has been reduced, a mediated solution becomes possible.
On seeking help from others
Generally, the victimised child should seek help only when he/she has tried to solve the problem themselves However, in many cases outside help is needed, especially when the effects are serious. The child should be advised to talk about it with people he/she can trust (this is not ‘dobbing’)
Helping a lonely child to make friends
Helping others is a good way to make friends. If you see someone who is struggling, ask if they would like some help. But don’t take over. Look out for others who are alone or seem shy and introduce yourself. Ask them about their interests. It may turn out you have a lot in common. Find out about clubs, groups, sports, music, chess, whatever is happening in your school and join any in which you are interested or know something about. If you have the right skills, group members will want to be with you.
More on making and keeping friends
Be with people you like and have similar interests to yourself. But don’t force yourself on them. Be a good listener so that others can tell that you are really interested in what they are saying. Ask them about themselves.
On making friends (continued)
Be positive, but don’t boast. Decide what you want to say before you talk. Don’t just rave on. You don't have to know about or have an opinion on everything - in fact it is often better if you don't. Making a close friend usually takes time. Don’t force things along by making claims on another’s friendship, Remember that not everybody wants to be your best friend. Don't give up trying to make friends with people if you're not very lucky at first.