Bullying

Bullying has the potential to be damaging to all aspects of society around the world. Almost everyone has faced a bully at some point in their lives. Most people can move on from this experience without any lasting scars. Some are less fortunate and face humiliation at the hands of a bully on a day to day basis that sets up a downward spiral that may last until or into adulthood.

“Bullying is when someone keeps doing or saying things to have power over another person” (What’s Bullying?). “There are different types of bullying: physical bullying, verbal bullying, indirect bullying, social alienation, intimidation, and cyber bullying” (Types of Bullying). “Bullying isn’t new–we have all heard of or experienced verbal taunts and physical threats of violence” (Molitor). “Some people think that bullying is any aggressive behavior and although such behaviors are a source of concern and need attention, it is important to separate them from bullying” (Baras). “Some young people are picked on for no particular reason, but sometimes it’s because they are different in some way – perhaps it’s the color of their skin, the way they talk, their size, or their name” (What’s Bullying?). “There are different categories of school bullying, and some of the categories overlap. Victims of bullying display a range of responses, even many years later, such as: low self-esteem, difficulty trusting others, lack of assertiveness, aggression, difficulty controlling anger, and isolation. Face-to-face bullying is bullying in which students confront each other in person (Bullying Statistics). “Sometimes students will turn on their friends, pick on them, to advance themselves”(Bullying: It Stops Here).

Many celebrities were bullied when they were young. “Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, Christian Bale, President Barack Obama, Winona Rider, Eminem, Christina Aguilera, Mila Kunis, Lady Gaga, and Madonna” were all bullied (Celebrities who were bullied). “Tom Cruise was bullied badly at school due to his dyslexia” (Celebs who have been bullied). Steven Spielberg had nightmares about a bully. He decided that if he could not fight the boy, he would try to win him over. The bully was a large boy who liked to beat up Spielberg and let air out of Spielberg’s bicycle tires (Powers. 13). Steven told the bully that he was making a WWII movie, and wanted the bully to play the hero (13). The film was called “Battle Squad”; Spielberg made it at the age of thirteen (13). The bully laughed in Spielberg’s face, but finally agreed to be in the movie. After the movie was finished, Spielberg and the bully became the best of friends (13). On September 21, 2011, Lady Gaga expressed sadness on Twitter over the suicide death of a 14-year-old New York boy, who had complained in an online video about being bullied over his sexuality. The pop singer tweeted to her 13.7 million followers: “I am meeting with our president. I will not stop fighting. This must end” (Thomas).

“1 in 7 students in grades K-12 is either a bully or a victim of bullying. 15% of all school absenteeism is directly related to fears of being bullied at school” (Types of Bullying). “In 2003, 23% of children had bullied another child at school, but in 2007, that rate rose to 35% of children acting like bullies; an overall increase of 52%” (Sachdev). “There is noticeably more bullying in middle school (grades 6-8) than in senior high school” (Bullying Statistics). “In 77% of bullying incidents, no bystanders have intervened” (Bullying: It Stops Here).

“With the rise of the Internet, there are now instances of children being bullied online through email, chat rooms and on Facebook” (Heartmath). “Nearly 42% of kids have been bullied online and almost one in four has had it happen more than once. The primary cyber bullying location where victimizing occurs, at 56%, is in chat rooms. Girls are about twice as likely as boys to be victims and perpetrators of cyber bullying. Nine out of ten middle school students have had their feelings hurt online. About 58% of kids admit someone has said mean or hurtful things to them online. More than four out of ten of them say it has happened more than once” (11 Facts about Cyber Bullying1).

“A bully might force a student to do things for him, take him along wherever he goes during breaks, even if it’s in the bathroom. This is humiliating for the student who is the victim, but he/she may not say anything due to fear of retaliation. There are some bullies who get their victims to do their homework while other bullies use abusive language, and at times, even hurt their victims physically” (A bully’s role in school violence).

“Bullycide is a term used to describe suicide as a result of bullying.” (Hardman). “There is a strong link between bullying and suicide, as suggested by recent bullying-related suicides in the US and other countries. Parents, teachers, and students need to learn the dangers of bullying and help students who may be at risk of committing suicide” (Bullying Statistics). “Bullycide usually comes as a result of teen depression after the teen is teased and bullied mercilessly over the course of an extended period of time” (Hardman). In a recent episode of the popular animated television show South Park, it was mentioned that a previous student had committed suicide after being ridiculed by Eric Cartman, one of the four main characters on the show (South Park).

“Homophobic bullying is sometimes distinguished because it has a particular target” (Bullying Statistics). “Any hostile or offensive action against lesbians, gay males, bisexual or transgender people, or those perceived to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender is homophobic bullying” (Homophobic Bullying). “Homophobic name-calling should always be challenged in the same way as racist or sexist behavior. The root cause may be prejudice against gay and lesbian people. In youth culture, “gay” is now used as a derogatory adjective to describe objects and people that may have no connection whatsoever with homosexuality. Young people, who are sure of their identity as gay or lesbian, especially if they have chosen to reveal this to their peers, are likely to be subjected to some homophobic name calling” (Information for schools about homophobic bullying). Some parents of gay teens are so concerned with this type of bullying they are actually considering alternative schooling for their children. “Children have long been taunted with homophobic slurs, but a recent string of high profile suicides has lead school and government officials to pay more attention to this subset of bullying victims. Nine out of 10 LGBT students say they have experienced bullying or harassment, according to a nation wide survey of 7,261 middle and high school students conducted in 2009 by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN). Nearly two-thirds of respondents said they have felt unsafe in school; 1 in 5 reported having been physically assaulted” (Webley).

“Racist bullying is a type of focused bullying that targets a certain race or culture” (Bullying Statistics). “Racist bullying in schools can range from ill-considered remarks, which are not intended to be hurtful, to deliberate physical attacks causing serious injury. Children and young people from minority ethnic groups often experience bullying based on the perceived differences in dress, communication, appearance, beliefs, and/or culture” (Racial Bullying). “In a Scottish context, it is mainly people from black and minority ethnic communities who are subjected to racism, but concern has also been expressed about prejudice against other groups including English people and Travelers. Many schools, particularly those in areas where there are large ethnic minority populations, have well-developed policies on multi-cultural and anti-racist education” (Information for schools about racial bullying).

“Sexual bullying is any behavior, which degrades someone, singles someone out by the use of sexual language, gestures, violence and victimization related to appearance. Sexual bullying is also the pressure to act promiscuously and to act inappropriately at school. These behaviors happen inside and outside school, in social groups and via the internet or mobile phones. Sexual bullying can undermine the dignity and safety of girls as well as affect their emotional wellbeing and lead to depression, isolation, eating disorders and self-harming. Generally, sexual harassment and bullying is experienced by women and girls and is usually perpetrated by men and boys. The Youth Justice Board has reported a 20% rise in the number of children being given court orders and warnings for sex offences, up from 1,664 in 2002 and 2003 to 1,988 in 2006 (Sexual Bullying).”

“There are seven habits of effective bullies. The first habit is that bullies feel contempt for their targets. The second habit is that bullies dominate others and use victims to get what they want. Habit three is bullies do not see situations from another’s point-of-view and are concerned only with their own desires, not the rights and feelings of others. The fourth habit is that bullies often attack outside the radar of adults. The fifth habit is that bullies take advantage of the inaction of others. Habit six is that bullies know that adults often will not do anything. The seventh and last habit is that bullies ignore the consequences for their actions and often refuse to accept any responsibility for their behavior” (Gorovsky).

“The effects of bullying can last long into adulthood. An Australian study, that was published in 2010, found that adults who were bullied as children were more likely than others to suffer from depression and anxiety, as well as many other physical ills, including fatigue, pain and a greater susceptibility to colds. A couple of decades ago, bullying was considered a rite of passage at school, and many parents encouraged their children to “stand up for themselves.” Other kids just never told their parents and took matters into their own hands. Especially since the shooting at Columbine High School in Colorado in 1999, parents and schools have been working to rein in bullying. In Durham, a pilot program, called Peaceful Schools North Carolina, teaches students, staff, and parents how to diffuse potentially volatile situations” (Fredericks).

“As awareness grows over the issue of teen bullying, TV has taken notice. Bullying has been a significant plot point of "Glee" since the high school-set series launched” (Gay). Many characters on “Glee” are routinely humiliated with slushies, which is a cold, icy, flavored drink thrown in the face of an unsuspecting glee club victim. This show also had a recurring subplot that deals with a gay teen being physically threatened by a football player at school. As it turned out, the football player was also gay and trying to hide it (Glee). “TV's most unusual approach to bullying may be found on "Bully Beatdown," an MTV reality series produced by "Survivor's" Mark Burnett” (Gay). On the show the victim of a bully contacts MTV for help with a bully. The bully is then asked by MTV to a challenge by fighting a professional fighter. If the bully loses the match his victim receives money, but if the bully wins he receives the money (Bully Beatdown). “The subject has been tackled on a range of other shows, from TeenNick's cult hit ‘DeGrassi: The Next Generation,’ to ABC's cop drama ‘Detroit 1-8-7’” (Gay).

Many modern movies also deal with the effects of bullying. In the 2010 film Let Me In, based on the Swedish novel, Let The Right One In, a 12 year old boy befriends a vampire. She wants to help him get back at the bullies at his school (Let Me In). In the 2008 film, Drillbit Taylor, three boys hire a bodyguard, played by Owen Wilson, to protect them from bullies (Drillbit Taylor).

Bullies are often victims. In Let Me In, it is shown that the main character, Owen, when he is alone, has rage building up within and will probably bully others someday if he is not helped. Also, it is found out later in the film that the “leader” of the group of bullies that pick on Owen is bullied by his own brother and the bully takes his anger out on Owen (Let Me In). “Bullies are seething with resentment, bitterness, hatred and anger, and often have wide-ranging prejudices as a vehicle for dumping their anger onto others” (Bullying in Schools).

“On April 20, 1999, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, enacted an all-out assault on Columbine High School during the middle of the school day. The boys met each other while attending Ken Caryl Middle School in 1993. When the two boys entered high school, they found it difficult to fit into any of the cliques. As is too common in high school, the boys found themselves frequently picked on by athletes and other students” (Rosenberg). “For years, “jocks” – student athletes – persecuted Eric and Dylan, calling them names and throwing bottles and rocks at them from moving cars. Finally, Eric didn’t care if he lived or died, and Dylan followed. A friend said, ‘These guys were just pushed too far’” (Menhard. 7). During an interview with Michael Moore, shock rocker Marilyn Manson was asked, “If you were to talk directly to the kids at Columbine and the people in the community, what would you say to them if they were here right now?”, to which Manson replied, “I wouldn’t say a single word to them – I would listen to what they have to say, and that’s what no one did” (Bowling for Columbine).

“There can be a fine line in the difference of bullying and violence. Though bullying is often considered a form of physical or psychological violence, bullying has some different root causes than other types of violence, and also may require different prevention strategies. While violence and violent crimes have generally been decreasing in America, bullying has not. Violence is against the law, while bullying generally isn't unless it crosses the line into harassment or assault. Though violence is generally seen as an unacceptable type of behavior, more people accept bullying as a normal part of life. School violence is often addressed by trying to reduce gang involvement, drug use, poor academic achievement, and anger management problems among students” (Bullying Statistics).

“Many times, a single act or behavior is out of proportion, but it is not considered bullying. It is very natural that people do not like everyone around them and, as unpleasant as it may be to know someone does not like you, verbal and non-verbal messages of "I don't like you" are not acts of bullying. Making fun of other people is not fun for them, but the difference between having a sense of humor and making fun of someone is very fine. It is natural that people have different interests and disagree on many things. Wanting things to be done our way is normal and is not an act of bullying” (Baras).

“There are a number of things educators can do to make their school safer and prevent bullying. Determine where and when bullying occurs. Establishing a school safety committee and task force with a coordinator whose job it is to plan, implement and evaluate your school's bullying prevention program. Take advantage of staff meetings, assemblies, class and parent meetings, newsletters to families, the school website, and the student handbook. Implement curriculum-based, class-level discussions and activities about bullying (e.g., role-playing activities) at each grade level. Create a mission statement, code of conduct, and school-wide rules that establishes a climate in which bullying is not acceptable” (Educators). “The advice from experts, can help protect children from a bully” (How to Protect Children from Bullies). “In May 2011, Salt Lake City Governor Gary Herbert signed into law, a stronger anti-bullying bill, it makes it illegal to bully students “and” school employees at anytime, or location, even online” (Schools Prepare to Protect Children from Bullying Behavior).

In an interview with Ms. Mucenski, a guidance counselor at Franklinton High School, it was stated that the Franklin County Schools’ policy does not tolerate school bullying and that the school takes action very quickly once notified of an incident. The most important action that a student should take is to tell an adult.

I know that it’s hard because a lot of students are afraid of repercussions, they’re afraid that it’ll only get worse if they say something, but telling an adult is the best thing they can do because they’re not on their own because we’re here to help, we’re here to address the issues, we’re here to make this a safe and respected environment for everyone.” stated Ms. Mucenski. It was stated in the interview that it’s really hard to determine if a student is being bullied because a lot of students are quiet about it. Sometimes, the victims don’t directly go to an adult and an adult usually finds out from a friend of the victim. Figuring out signs of students being bullied is being observant and seeing if there are changes in personality. If a student feels like they being bullied they can talk to a teacher, a guidance counselor, or a school resource officer (Mucenski).

“A rumor usually has some shred of truth, but the truth is usually blown considerably out of proportion. No one likes to be talked about in a negative way, and when rumors start to spread in school, they spread like wildfire” (Ray). In the 2004 film, Mean Girls, The character Regina, played by Rachel McAdams, was talking about a rumor she had spread in middle school. What follows is the exact dialogue from the movie:

She’s so pathetic. Let me tell you something about Janis Ian. We were best friends in middle school. I know, right? It’s so embarrassing. I don’t even…Whatever. So then in eighth grade, I started going out with my first boyfriend Kyle who was totally gorgeous but then he moved to Indiana, and Janis was like, weirdly jealous of him. Like, if I would blow her off to hang out with Kyle, she’d be like, ‘Why didn’t you call me back?’ and I’d be like, ‘Why are you so obsessed with me?’ So then, for my birthday party, which was an all-girls pool party, I was like, ‘Janis, I can’t invite you, because I think you’re a lesbian.’ I mean I couldn’t have a lesbian at my party. There were going to be girls there in their *bathing suits*. I mean, right? She was a LESBIAN. So then her mom called my mom and started yelling at her, it was so retarded. And then she dropped out of school because no one would talk to her, and she came back in the fall for high school, all of her hair was cut off and she was totally weird, and now I guess she’s on crack (Mean Girls).

“It is important not to add fuel to the fire when trying to stop rumors from spreading” (Ray).

News reporters and popular TV personalities are now lending their voices to help put a stop to relentless bullying. “Bullies need help. Victims of bullies need help.” as it was said by Dr. Phil McGraw, during Anderson Cooper’s “Bullying: It Stops Here” special on CNN on October 14, 2011. Dr. Phil went on to say “The victim takes over when the bully leaves. The bully leaves, but the victim plays it over and over and over this internal dialogue where they repeat and even enhance and embellish what the bully said and therefore embrace it from the inside out.” Another guest on the special, Rosalind Wisemen, said “Degrading people is never right and it always comes down to that you’re being degraded by race, social economics, class, where you come from, sexual orientation, or perceived sexual orientation.” (Bullying: It Stops Here).

“Children who bully frequently during adolescence are more likely to be aggressive and to have criminal records in adulthood. Bullied children may grow up with diminished self-confidence and a sense of isolation and helplessness” (Stop Bullying Now).

It is essential that we put an end to all forms of bullying so that children can grow up to be well adjusted, functioning members of society. Parents, teachers, community leaders, and law enforcement officers need to be working together to ensure that students are protected from all types of harassment and bullies will receive the help as well as the punishment they deserve.

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