essay about how to avoid bullying

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Eight keys to end bullying, can we stop bullying signe whitson says yes—by consistently reaching out to both children who bully and those who are bullied..

Everyone has a story when it comes to bullying. As a licensed social worker, school counselor, and national educator, I have heard many first-hand accounts of bullying, from triumphant efforts to end unwanted aggression to heart-wrenching stories of relentless torment. I am routinely appalled by how ubiquitous cruelty has become. 

Yet, despite the pain, I am hopeful. I believe we have an opportunity to change the culture of bullying among young people and I think the answer begins with those who live and work with young people every day.  It is not complicated policies or grandiose programs that make the most difference, but rather consistent, daily, nurturing acts of reaching out to both children who bully and those who are are the receiving end of cruelty that bring about the most meaningful and lasting change.

Here is an outline of key steps that have the greatest impact on helping kids, drawn from my new book, 8 Keys to End Bullying .

1. Know bullying when you see it

Bullying is clearly defined as having three elements: intentionally aggressive behavior that is repeated over time and involving an imbalance of power . It is most often used to gain social status, to maintain power and control over another, and for peer attention. 

In our culture of 24/7 news cycles and social media sound bites, we have a better opportunity than ever before to bring attention to this important issue. But when we overuse the term ‘bullying’ or make it synonymous with terms more related to everyday conflict,  we run the risk of making people so sick and tired of hearing about our issue that it loses its urgency as quickly as it rose to prominence.

It is important to distinguish behavior that rises to the level of bullying from behaviors that indicate rudeness or mean behavior so that teachers, youth workers, and parents know what to pay attention to and when to intervene.  We don’t want bullying in schools to become a “little boy who cried wolf” issue.

2. Establish connections with kids

Connections with kids are the essential prerequisite for any growth and change an adult can facilitate. When a child perceives that adults in his life are truly invested in his wellbeing and interested in his experiences, he is more willing to talk about what is going on in his life and to be open to adult feedback.

Without strong adult connections, kids that bully can act without the hindrance of adult disapproval, victims feel isolated from sources of potential support, and bystanders have no one to whom they can turn to report bullying behavior. Adults need to make it easy for kids to talk to them. Maintaining calm, expressing sympathy, thanking the child for having the strength to reach out, encouraging problem solving together, and following up later to make sure a proposed solution worked—those are all ways adults can support kids and nurture relationships that will help stop bullying.

If kids believe they are safe to reach out to adults, and that things will get better if they do, they will feel less isolated and will more likely report bullying.

3. Stop bullying whenever you see it

Most bullying goes unseen by adults—up to seventy-five percent of incidents happen in kid-only locations like the playground, bathroom, or the bus.

But when adults see something happening, they must be ready to intervene. The most effective approach to stopping bullying is often the least wordy one. In many cases, the briefer, the better. Here are some suggested statements teachers can make when they witness bullying:

• “It’s not OK to say that to someone in my classroom. Are we clear?”
• “Sending that kind of text about a classmate is unacceptable. That cannot happen again.”
• “Leaving one kid out of the group is not going to work. Let’s fix this and move on.”

The benefit of brief statements like these is that they don’t humiliate or alienate anyone. Instead, they let everyone know the teacher is paying attention, and they send a strong signal that bullying won’t be tolerated.

4. Deal directly with cyberbullying

Adults have made a giant misstep in recent years by choosing not to take responsibility for responding to aggression that occurs through technology. School personnel say they can’t do anything because it didn’t occur at school; law enforcement say they can’t get involved unless there’s a clear crime; and parents don’t feel they can keep up with what their kids are doing online. This across-the-board abdication of responsibility by adults have given kids who bully evidence that they can control peer culture online, free and unfettered of adult intervention.

Cyberbullying can be distinctly harmful because it can occur anonymously and cruelty can go viral at the touch of a key. Kids find it far easier to be cruel when they don’t have to lock eyes with the object of their viciousness. There is no safe place for victims, because the online attack can happen without the victim being in the same place as the perpetrator.

One of the most important things that adults can do to prevent bullying online is to maintain strong connections with kids offline. Young people will never feel safe talking to adults about what is happening in cyberspace if their real-world relationships are not already strong.  Parents also play a key role in teaching kids commonsense standards for the use of technology, basing rules on values of kindness and compassion, and enforcing these agreements in consistently caring ways.

5. Build social and emotional skills

Stopping bullying means more than catching the perpetrators in the act. Instead, it begins by creating overall positive school cultures. That means taking concrete actions to champion acceptance, honor diversity, foster cooperation, establish connections with kids, and facilitate open communication among staff and students.

It also involves social and emotional learning. Bullying prevention programs that focus on building social and emotional competencies in all kids achieve better results than interventions aimed only at kids who bully. Social Emotional Learning (SEL) programs have been shown to create more positive peer relationships, build higher levels of caring and empathy, increase social engagement, and reduce problem behaviors. What’s more, on average students who receive SEL programming academically outperform their peers and graduate at higher rates.

SEL programming in schools can help prevent bullying in many ways: by increasing kids’ emotional regulation, by instructing kids on how to manage stress and control their impulses; by increasing empathy; by teaching problem-solving skills; by practicing assertive communication, and by fostering friendship skills.

6. Turn bystanders Into buddies

Research suggests that peers are present during nine out of every 10 incidents of bullying—but intervene on behalf of victims less than 20 percent of the time. When peers do step in to stop bullying, however, the episode stops within 10 seconds more than half of the time. Therefore, it’s incumbent upon adults to figure out best ways to encourage peers to intervene.

For kids to become empowered, they need to believe that stopping bullying starts with them. They must learn to feel a connection to a bullied child, understand that their friendships can endure doing the right thing, know how to use assertive communication, and feel confident that their intervention will have a positive impact.

Kids with high social status often make the best interveners, because of their outsized influence on the peer group and their relative immunity from the backlash of vengeful aggressors. Some of the most effective programs in schools build on this principle, pairing high-status kids with vulnerable peers. This experience benefits both the potential victim, who gains social status, and the high status kid, who learns the benefits of kindness and compassion.

7. Reach out to kids who bully

Because bullying is marked by repeated acts of aggression that intentionally harm others and is committed by individuals who hold more power than their victims, bullying behavior is predictive of troubling mental health and behavioral outcomes, like substance abuse, depression, and criminal behavior. For safety reasons alone, professionals and parents should reach out to kids who bully while they are young and their behavior is still highly changeable.

When approached by adults who are ready to listen, young people who bully tend to talk; when approached by adults who are ready to accuse, they tend to be defensive. Too often what’s meted out to kids who behave badly has more to do with fulfilling an adult’s need to win than with meeting a child’s need to learn, make amends, and grow. Instead of telling kids what they shouldn’t do, it’s more effective to say what they should do—to teach them appropriate social skills and ways of managing conflicts. Punishment alone does nothing to prevent future bullying and can, in fact, aggravate a bad situation.

8. Keep the conversation going

Many adults who desperately and genuinely want to do right by kids give up on even attempting to manage incidents of bullying because they feel so overwhelmed by the complexity of the challenge. There are other adults who operate strictly from a risk management perspective, going through the motions of intervening in bullying without assessing if their intervention is effective or sufficient.

But this is not enough to keep kids safe. Instead, opening up an ongoing dialogue with kids about social conflicts, friendships, and navigating difficulties they may face is more effective, because it shows you care and that you understand their world.

Maintaining an open dialogue about bullying and making sure we continue to shine a bright light on it is the only way we will bring an end to this long-standing problem. Only by keeping the conversation going will we be able to deter bullying in the future and keep all children safe.

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Preventing Bullying: Consequences, Prevention, and Intervention

• Suzanne Le Menestrel National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Bullying is considered to be a significant public health problem with both short- and long-term physical and social-emotional consequences for youth. A large body of research indicates that youth who have been bullied are at increased risk of subsequent mental, emotional, health, and behavioral problems, especially internalizing problems, such as low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Given the growing awareness of bullying as a public health problem and the increasing evidence of short- and long-term physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral health and academic consequences of bullying behavior, there have been significant efforts at the practice, program, and policy levels to address bullying behavior. This article summarizes a recent consensus report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Preventing Bullying Through Science, Policy, and Practice , and what is known about the consequences of bullying behavior and interventions that attempt to prevent and respond to it.

Author Biography

Suzanne le menestrel, national academies of sciences, engineering, and medicine.

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10 Ways to Prevent School Bullying

Bullying at school can have serious consequences. Bullying negatively affects the social environment at school and creates an atmosphere of fear among students. Bullying can also impact a student's learning, whether a child is a target of bullying or a witness to it.  

The need to address bullying in schools is significant. However, schools cannot address the issue alone. Preventing bullying requires that parents get involved, too. Here are 10 ways you can help prevent bullying at your child's school.

Begin at Home

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One of the most important things you can do as a parent is ensure that your child understands what bullying is. More than a definition, this also includes what bullying can look and feel like. Start by having a conversation with your child about what constitutes healthy friendships  and what does not.

Although research suggests that parents are often the last to know when their child is being bullied or has bullied someone else, you can break that trend by talking with your kids every day about their social lives.  

To encourage your child to chat, ask open-ended questions like:

• Who did you have lunch with today?
• What did you do at recess?
• What happened on the bus ride/walk home from school?

Learn the Warning Signs

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Many children don't tell anyone when they have been or are being bullied. Make sure that you can recognize the possible signs that your child is being bullied.

Bullying Red Flags

Signs that your child might be getting bullied at school can include:

• Avoiding school or activities
• Change in eating habits
• Change in hygiene
• Dropping grades
• Headaches, stomachaches, and other illnesses
• Mood and personality changes

Instill Healthy Habits

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It’s very important to instill an anti-bullying mindset in your child. This includes more than just teaching your child not to hit, shove, or tease other kids. Kids should learn that being critical, judgmental, making hurtful jokes, and spreading rumors also are unhealthy and constitute bullying.

Cyberbullying is also a big issue for kids. It's also never too early to teach your children about responsible online behavior.

Empower Your Kids

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One of the most helpful things you can do is provide your kids tools with tools for dealing with bullying. Walking away, telling an adult, or telling the bully in a firm voice to stop, are all strategies that you can practice with your child.

It's also important to teach kids how and when to report bullying when they witness it, and help them understand why they do not want to be a bystander.

Research shows that most kids feel powerless to help when they see another person being bullied. Equip them with ideas on how to handle these difficult situations.

Become Familiar With Your School's Policies

It's important to have a firm grasp on how bullying is handled at your child's school . This includes knowing which person to call if something happens with your children, as well as having clear expectations for how the situation will be handled.

Report Bullying Incidents

If your child tells you they are being bulled, start by contacting school personnel and ask to meet with them in person. By holding a face-to-face meeting, you are demonstrating that you’re committed to seeing that the issue resolved.

It can also be useful to document all bullying incidents. This will help you be prepared if the situation escalates and law enforcement or other outside sources need to become involved.

Be an Advocate

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It's vital to voice your support for bullying prevention, but it's also important to offer your time. Volunteer to work with your child's teachers or your school's guidance counselor to develop an anti-bullying program. If your child's school already has a program in place, offer to help when events and fundraisers are held.

Recruit Other Parents

When a lot of parents are committed to bullying prevention, a school's program will be more successful. Form a group of motivated parents to help you tackle the issue. Meet regularly to brainstorm ideas, share them with school officials, and help put new plans or suggestions into action.

Spend Time at School

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If your schedule permits, accept opportunities to volunteer at school functions and during the day. Sometimes simply having an additional adult around is enough to deter bullying. However, with shrinking budgets, some schools have been forced to downsize. As a result, your kids might be getting less supervision on the playgrounds and during lunch.

Ask the PTA/PTO to Sponsor a Bullying-Prevention Program

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If your child's school has limited funds for bullying programs, approach your local PTA/PTO and ask for their assistance. You could also suggest a fundraiser to raise awareness and money.

Remember, bullying is not a normal part of childhood. Bullying affects everyone. As a parent, you have the power to do something about it. You can empower your child to stand up to bullies and feel that they can let an adult know if they are being bullied and help them understand what constitutes bullying behavior.

You can also set a good example by getting involved with your child's school and raising awareness and funds to help put bullying prevention measures in place.

Hong JS, Espelage DL. A review of research on bullying and peer victimization in school: An ecological system analysis .  Aggression and Violent Behavior. 2012;17(4): 311-322. doi:10.1016/j.avb.2012.03.003

Tokunaga RS. Following you home from school: A critical review and synthesis of research on cyberbullying victimization .  Computers in Human Behavior . 2010;26(3):277-287. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2009.11.014

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Warning Signs for Bullying .

By Sherri Gordon Sherri Gordon, CLC is a published author, certified professional life coach, and bullying prevention expert. 

Preventing Bullying Through Science, Policy, and Practice (2016)

Chapter: 1 introduction, 1 introduction.

Bullying, long tolerated by many as a rite of passage into adulthood, is now recognized as a major and preventable public health problem, one that can have long-lasting consequences ( McDougall and Vaillancourt, 2015 ; Wolke and Lereya, 2015 ). Those consequences—for those who are bullied, for the perpetrators of bullying, and for witnesses who are present during a bullying event—include poor school performance, anxiety, depression, and future delinquent and aggressive behavior. Federal, state, and local governments have responded by adopting laws and implementing programs to prevent bullying and deal with its consequences. However, many of these responses have been undertaken with little attention to what is known about bullying and its effects. Even the definition of bullying varies among both researchers and lawmakers, though it generally includes physical and verbal behavior, behavior leading to social isolation, and behavior that uses digital communications technology (cyberbullying). This report adopts the term “bullying behavior,” which is frequently used in the research field, to cover all of these behaviors.

Bullying behavior is evident as early as preschool, although it peaks during the middle school years ( Currie et al., 2012 ; Vaillancourt et al., 2010 ). It can occur in diverse social settings, including classrooms, school gyms and cafeterias, on school buses, and online. Bullying behavior affects not only the children and youth who are bullied, who bully, and who are both bullied and bully others but also bystanders to bullying incidents. Given the myriad situations in which bullying can occur and the many people who may be involved, identifying effective prevention programs and policies is challenging, and it is unlikely that any one approach will be ap-

propriate in all situations. Commonly used bullying prevention approaches include policies regarding acceptable behavior in schools and behavioral interventions to promote positive cultural norms.

STUDY CHARGE

Recognizing that bullying behavior is a major public health problem that demands the concerted and coordinated time and attention of parents, educators and school administrators, health care providers, policy makers, families, and others concerned with the care of children, a group of federal agencies and private foundations asked the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to undertake a study of what is known and what needs to be known to further the field of preventing bullying behavior. The Committee on the Biological and Psychosocial Effects of Peer Victimization:

Lessons for Bullying Prevention was created to carry out this task under the Academies’ Board on Children, Youth, and Families and the Committee on Law and Justice. The study received financial support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Highmark Foundation, the National Institute of Justice, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Semi J. and Ruth W. Begun Foundation, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The full statement of task for the committee is presented in Box 1-1 .

Although the committee acknowledges the importance of this topic as it pertains to all children in the United States and in U.S. territories, this report focuses on the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Also, while the committee acknowledges that bullying behavior occurs in the school

environment for youth in foster care, in juvenile justice facilities, and in other residential treatment facilities, this report does not address bullying behavior in those environments because it is beyond the study charge.

CONTEXT FOR THE STUDY

This section of the report highlights relevant work in the field and, later in the chapter under “The Committee’s Approach,” presents the conceptual framework and corresponding definitions of terms that the committee has adopted.

Historical Context

Bullying behavior was first characterized in the scientific literature as part of the childhood experience more than 100 years ago in “Teasing and Bullying,” published in the Pedagogical Seminary ( Burk, 1897 ). The author described bullying behavior, attempted to delineate causes and cures for the tormenting of others, and called for additional research ( Koo, 2007 ). Nearly a century later, Dan Olweus, a Swedish research professor of psychology in Norway, conducted an intensive study on bullying ( Olweus, 1978 ). The efforts of Olweus brought awareness to the issue and motivated other professionals to conduct their own research, thereby expanding and contributing to knowledge of bullying behavior. Since Olweus’s early work, research on bullying has steadily increased (see Farrington and Ttofi, 2009 ; Hymel and Swearer, 2015 ).

Over the past few decades, venues where bullying behavior occurs have expanded with the advent of the Internet, chat rooms, instant messaging, social media, and other forms of digital electronic communication. These modes of communication have provided a new communal avenue for bullying. While the media reports linking bullying to suicide suggest a causal relationship, the available research suggests that there are often multiple factors that contribute to a youth’s suicide-related ideology and behavior. Several studies, however, have demonstrated an association between bullying involvement and suicide-related ideology and behavior (see, e.g., Holt et al., 2015 ; Kim and Leventhal, 2008 ; Sourander, 2010 ; van Geel et al., 2014 ).

In 2013, the Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services requested that the Institute of Medicine 1 and the National Research Council convene an ad hoc planning committee to plan and conduct a 2-day public workshop to highlight relevant information and knowledge that could inform a multidisciplinary

___________________

1 Prior to 2015, the National Academy of Medicine was known as the Institute of Medicine.

road map on next steps for the field of bullying prevention. Content areas that were explored during the April 2014 workshop included the identification of conceptual models and interventions that have proven effective in decreasing bullying and the antecedents to bullying while increasing protective factors that mitigate the negative health impact of bullying. The discussions highlighted the need for a better understanding of the effectiveness of program interventions in realistic settings; the importance of understanding what works for whom and under what circumstances, as well as the influence of different mediators (i.e., what accounts for associations between variables) and moderators (i.e., what affects the direction or strength of associations between variables) in bullying prevention efforts; and the need for coordination among agencies to prevent and respond to bullying. The workshop summary ( Institute of Medicine and National Research Council, 2014c ) informs this committee’s work.

Federal Efforts to Address Bullying and Related Topics

Currently, there is no comprehensive federal statute that explicitly prohibits bullying among children and adolescents, including cyberbullying. However, in the wake of the growing concerns surrounding the implications of bullying, several federal initiatives do address bullying among children and adolescents, and although some of them do not primarily focus on bullying, they permit some funds to be used for bullying prevention purposes.

The earliest federal initiative was in 1999, when three agencies collaborated to establish the Safe Schools/Healthy Students initiative in response to a series of deadly school shootings in the late 1990s. The program is administered by the U.S. Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and Justice to prevent youth violence and promote the healthy development of youth. It is jointly funded by the Department of Education and by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The program has provided grantees with both the opportunity to benefit from collaboration and the tools to sustain it through deliberate planning, more cost-effective service delivery, and a broader funding base ( Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2015 ).

The next major effort was in 2010, when the Department of Education awarded $38.8 million in grants under the Safe and Supportive Schools (S3) Program to 11 states to support statewide measurement of conditions for learning and targeted programmatic interventions to improve conditions for learning, in order to help schools improve safety and reduce substance use. The S3 Program was administered by the Safe and Supportive Schools Group, which also administered the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act State and Local Grants Program, authorized by the

1994 Elementary and Secondary Education Act. 2 It was one of several programs related to developing and maintaining safe, disciplined, and drug-free schools. In addition to the S3 grants program, the group administered a number of interagency agreements with a focus on (but not limited to) bullying, school recovery research, data collection, and drug and violence prevention activities ( U.S. Department of Education, 2015 ).

A collaborative effort among the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Defense, Education, Health and Human Services, Interior, and Justice; the Federal Trade Commission; and the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders created the Federal Partners in Bullying Prevention (FPBP) Steering Committee. Led by the U.S. Department of Education, the FPBP works to coordinate policy, research, and communications on bullying topics. The FPBP Website provides extensive resources on bullying behavior, including information on what bullying is, its risk factors, its warning signs, and its effects. 3 The FPBP Steering Committee also plans to provide details on how to get help for those who have been bullied. It also was involved in creating the “Be More than a Bystander” Public Service Announcement campaign with the Ad Council to engage students in bullying prevention. To improve school climate and reduce rates of bullying nationwide, FPBP has sponsored four bullying prevention summits attended by education practitioners, policy makers, researchers, and federal officials.

In 2014, the National Institute of Justice—the scientific research arm of the U.S. Department of Justice—launched the Comprehensive School Safety Initiative with a congressional appropriation of $75 million. The funds are to be used for rigorous research to produce practical knowledge that can improve the safety of schools and students, including bullying prevention. The initiative is carried out through partnerships among researchers, educators, and other stakeholders, including law enforcement, behavioral and mental health professionals, courts, and other justice system professionals ( National Institute of Justice, 2015 ).

In 2015, the Every Student Succeeds Act was signed by President Obama, reauthorizing the 50-year-old Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which is committed to providing equal opportunities for all students. Although bullying is neither defined nor prohibited in this act, it is explicitly mentioned in regard to applicability of safe school funding, which it had not been in previous iterations of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

The above are examples of federal initiatives aimed at promoting the

2 The Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act was included as Title IV, Part A, of the 1994 Elementary and Secondary Education Act. See http://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/gun_violence/sect08-i.html [October 2015].

3 For details, see http://www.stopbullying.gov/ [October 2015].

healthy development of youth, improving the safety of schools and students, and reducing rates of bullying behavior. There are several other federal initiatives that address student bullying directly or allow funds to be used for bullying prevention activities.

Definitional Context

The terms “bullying,” “harassment,” and “peer victimization” have been used in the scientific literature to refer to behavior that is aggressive, is carried out repeatedly and over time, and occurs in an interpersonal relationship where a power imbalance exists ( Eisenberg and Aalsma, 2005 ). Although some of these terms have been used interchangeably in the literature, peer victimization is targeted aggressive behavior of one child against another that causes physical, emotional, social, or psychological harm. While conflict and bullying among siblings are important in their own right ( Tanrikulu and Campbell, 2015 ), this area falls outside of the scope of the committee’s charge. Sibling conflict and aggression falls under the broader concept of interpersonal aggression, which includes dating violence, sexual assault, and sibling violence, in addition to bullying as defined for this report. Olweus (1993) noted that bullying, unlike other forms of peer victimization where the children involved are equally matched, involves a power imbalance between the perpetrator and the target, where the target has difficulty defending him or herself and feels helpless against the aggressor. This power imbalance is typically considered a defining feature of bullying, which distinguishes this particular form of aggression from other forms, and is typically repeated in multiple bullying incidents involving the same individuals over time ( Olweus, 1993 ).

Bullying and violence are subcategories of aggressive behavior that overlap ( Olweus, 1996 ). There are situations in which violence is used in the context of bullying. However, not all forms of bullying (e.g., rumor spreading) involve violent behavior. The committee also acknowledges that perspective about intentions can matter and that in many situations, there may be at least two plausible perceptions involved in the bullying behavior.

A number of factors may influence one’s perception of the term “bullying” ( Smith and Monks, 2008 ). Children and adolescents’ understanding of the term “bullying” may be subject to cultural interpretations or translations of the term ( Hopkins et al., 2013 ). Studies have also shown that influences on children’s understanding of bullying include the child’s experiences as he or she matures and whether the child witnesses the bullying behavior of others ( Hellström et al., 2015 ; Monks and Smith, 2006 ; Smith and Monks, 2008 ).

In 2010, the FPBP Steering Committee convened its first summit, which brought together more than 150 nonprofit and corporate leaders,

researchers, practitioners, parents, and youths to identify challenges in bullying prevention. Discussions at the summit revealed inconsistencies in the definition of bullying behavior and the need to create a uniform definition of bullying. Subsequently, a review of the 2011 CDC publication of assessment tools used to measure bullying among youth ( Hamburger et al., 2011 ) revealed inconsistent definitions of bullying and diverse measurement strategies. Those inconsistencies and diverse measurements make it difficult to compare the prevalence of bullying across studies ( Vivolo et al., 2011 ) and complicate the task of distinguishing bullying from other types of aggression between youths. A uniform definition can support the consistent tracking of bullying behavior over time, facilitate the comparison of bullying prevalence rates and associated risk and protective factors across different data collection systems, and enable the collection of comparable information on the performance of bullying intervention and prevention programs across contexts ( Gladden et al., 2014 ). The CDC and U.S. Department of Education collaborated on the creation of the following uniform definition of bullying (quoted in Gladden et al., 2014, p. 7 ):

Bullying is any unwanted aggressive behavior(s) by another youth or group of youths who are not siblings or current dating partners that involves an observed or perceived power imbalance and is repeated multiple times or is highly likely to be repeated. Bullying may inflict harm or distress on the targeted youth including physical, psychological, social, or educational harm.

This report noted that the definition includes school-age individuals ages 5-18 and explicitly excludes sibling violence and violence that occurs in the context of a dating or intimate relationship ( Gladden et al., 2014 ). This definition also highlighted that there are direct and indirect modes of bullying, as well as different types of bullying. Direct bullying involves “aggressive behavior(s) that occur in the presence of the targeted youth”; indirect bullying includes “aggressive behavior(s) that are not directly communicated to the targeted youth” ( Gladden et al., 2014, p. 7 ). The direct forms of violence (e.g., sibling violence, teen dating violence, intimate partner violence) can include aggression that is physical, sexual, or psychological, but the context and uniquely dynamic nature of the relationship between the target and the perpetrator in which these acts occur is different from that of peer bullying. Examples of direct bullying include pushing, hitting, verbal taunting, or direct written communication. A common form of indirect bullying is spreading rumors. Four different types of bullying are commonly identified—physical, verbal, relational, and damage to property. Some observational studies have shown that the different forms of bullying that youths commonly experience may overlap ( Bradshaw et al., 2015 ;

Godleski et al., 2015 ). The four types of bullying are defined as follows ( Gladden et al., 2014 ):

• Physical bullying involves the use of physical force (e.g., shoving, hitting, spitting, pushing, and tripping).
• Verbal bullying involves oral or written communication that causes harm (e.g., taunting, name calling, offensive notes or hand gestures, verbal threats).
• Relational bullying is behavior “designed to harm the reputation and relationships of the targeted youth (e.g., social isolation, rumor spreading, posting derogatory comments or pictures online).”
• Damage to property is “theft, alteration, or damaging of the target youth’s property by the perpetrator to cause harm.”

In recent years, a new form of aggression or bullying has emerged, labeled “cyberbullying,” in which the aggression occurs through modern technological devices, specifically mobile phones or the Internet ( Slonje and Smith, 2008 ). Cyberbullying may take the form of mean or nasty messages or comments, rumor spreading through posts or creation of groups, and exclusion by groups of peers online.

While the CDC definition identifies bullying that occurs using technology as electronic bullying and views that as a context or location where bullying occurs, one of the major challenges in the field is how to conceptualize and define cyberbullying ( Tokunaga, 2010 ). The extent to which the CDC definition can be applied to cyberbullying is unclear, particularly with respect to several key concepts within the CDC definition. First, whether determination of an interaction as “wanted” or “unwanted” or whether communication was intended to be harmful can be challenging to assess in the absence of important in-person socioemotional cues (e.g., vocal tone, facial expressions). Second, assessing “repetition” is challenging in that a single harmful act on the Internet has the potential to be shared or viewed multiple times ( Sticca and Perren, 2013 ). Third, cyberbullying can involve a less powerful peer using technological tools to bully a peer who is perceived to have more power. In this manner, technology may provide the tools that create a power imbalance, in contrast to traditional bullying, which typically involves an existing power imbalance.

A study that used focus groups with college students to discuss whether the CDC definition applied to cyberbullying found that students were wary of applying the definition due to their perception that cyberbullying often involves less emphasis on aggression, intention, and repetition than other forms of bullying ( Kota et al., 2014 ). Many researchers have responded to this lack of conceptual and definitional clarity by creating their own measures to assess cyberbullying. It is noteworthy that very few of these

definitions and measures include the components of traditional bullying—i.e., repetition, power imbalance, and intent ( Berne et al., 2013 ). A more recent study argues that the term “cyberbullying” should be reserved for incidents that involve key aspects of bullying such as repetition and differential power ( Ybarra et al., 2014 ).

Although the formulation of a uniform definition of bullying appears to be a step in the right direction for the field of bullying prevention, there are some limitations of the CDC definition. For example, some researchers find the focus on school-age youth as well as the repeated nature of bullying to be rather limiting; similarly the exclusion of bullying in the context of sibling relationships or dating relationships may preclude full appreciation of the range of aggressive behaviors that may co-occur with or constitute bullying behavior. As noted above, other researchers have raised concerns about whether cyberbullying should be considered a particular form or mode under the broader heading of bullying as suggested in the CDC definition, or whether a separate defintion is needed. Furthermore, the measurement of bullying prevalence using such a definiton of bullying is rather complex and does not lend itself well to large-scale survey research. The CDC definition was intended to inform public health surveillance efforts, rather than to serve as a definition for policy. However, increased alignment between bullying definitions used by policy makers and researchers would greatly advance the field. Much of the extant research on bullying has not applied a consistent definition or one that aligns with the CDC definition. As a result of these and other challenges to the CDC definition, thus far there has been inconsistent adoption of this particular definition by researchers, practitioners, or policy makers; however, as the definition was created in 2014, less than 2 years is not a sufficient amount of time to assess whether it has been successfully adopted or will be in the future.

THE COMMITTEE’S APPROACH

This report builds on the April 2014 workshop, summarized in Building Capacity to Reduce Bullying: Workshop Summary ( Institute of Medicine and National Research Council, 2014c ). The committee’s work was accomplished over an 18-month period that began in October 2014, after the workshop was held and the formal summary of it had been released. The study committee members represented expertise in communication technology, criminology, developmental and clinical psychology, education, mental health, neurobiological development, pediatrics, public health, school administration, school district policy, and state law and policy. (See Appendix E for biographical sketches of the committee members and staff.) The committee met three times in person and conducted other meetings by teleconferences and electronic communication.

Information Gathering

The committee conducted an extensive review of the literature pertaining to peer victimization and bullying. In some instances, the committee drew upon the broader literature on aggression and violence. The review began with an English-language literature search of online databases, including ERIC, Google Scholar, Lexis Law Reviews Database, Medline, PubMed, Scopus, PsycInfo, and Web of Science, and was expanded as literature and resources from other countries were identified by committee members and project staff as relevant. The committee drew upon the early childhood literature since there is substantial evidence indicating that bullying involvement happens as early as preschool (see Vlachou et al., 2011 ). The committee also drew on the literature on late adolescence and looked at related areas of research such as maltreatment for insights into this emerging field.

The committee used a variety of sources to supplement its review of the literature. The committee held two public information-gathering sessions, one with the study sponsors and the second with experts on the neurobiology of bullying; bullying as a group phenomenon and the role of bystanders; the role of media in bullying prevention; and the intersection of social science, the law, and bullying and peer victimization. See Appendix A for the agendas for these two sessions. To explore different facets of bullying and give perspectives from the field, a subgroup of the committee and study staff also conducted a site visit to a northeastern city, where they convened four stakeholder groups comprised, respectively, of local practitioners, school personnel, private foundation representatives, and young adults. The site visit provided the committee with an opportunity for place-based learning about bullying prevention programs and best practices. Each focus group was transcribed and summarized thematically in accordance with this report’s chapter considerations. Themes related to the chapters are displayed throughout the report in boxes titled “Perspectives from the Field”; these boxes reflect responses synthesized from all four focus groups. See Appendix B for the site visit’s agenda and for summaries of the focus groups.

The committee also benefited from earlier reports by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine through its Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education and the Institute of Medicine, most notably:

• Reducing Risks for Mental Disorders: Frontiers for Preventive Intervention Research ( Institute of Medicine, 1994 )
• Community Programs to Promote Youth Development ( National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, 2002 )
• Deadly Lessons: Understanding Lethal School Violence ( National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, 2003 )
• Preventing Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Disorders Among Young People: Progress and Possibilities ( National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, 2009 )
• The Science of Adolescent Risk-Taking: Workshop Report ( Institute of Medicine and National Research Council, 2011 )
• Communications and Technology for Violence Prevention: Workshop Summary ( Institute of Medicine and National Research Council, 2012 )
• Building Capacity to Reduce Bullying: Workshop Summary ( Institute of Medicine and National Research Council, 2014c )
• The Evidence for Violence Prevention across the Lifespan and Around the World: Workshop Summary ( Institute of Medicine and National Research Council, 2014a )
• Strategies for Scaling Effective Family-Focused Preventive Interventions to Promote Children’s Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Health: Workshop Summary ( Institute of Medicine and National Research Council, 2014b )
• Investing in the Health and Well-Being of Young Adults ( Institute of Medicine and National Research Council, 2015 )

Although these past reports and workshop summaries address various forms of violence and victimization, this report is the first consensus study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on the state of the science on the biological and psychosocial consequences of bullying and the risk and protective factors that either increase or decrease bullying behavior and its consequences.

Terminology

Given the variable use of the terms “bullying” and “peer victimization” in both the research-based and practice-based literature, the committee chose to use the current CDC definition quoted above ( Gladden et al., 2014, p. 7 ). While the committee determined that this was the best definition to use, it acknowledges that this definition is not necessarily the most user-friendly definition for students and has the potential to cause problems for students reporting bullying. Not only does this definition provide detail on the common elements of bullying behavior but it also was developed with input from a panel of researchers and practitioners. The committee also followed the CDC in focusing primarily on individuals between the ages of 5 and 18. The committee recognizes that children’s development occurs on a continuum, and so while it relied primarily on the CDC defini-

tion, its work and this report acknowledge the importance of addressing bullying in both early childhood and emerging adulthood. For purposes of this report, the committee used the terms “early childhood” to refer to ages 1-4, “middle childhood” for ages 5 to 10, “early adolescence” for ages 11-14, “middle adolescence” for ages 15-17, and “late adolescence” for ages 18-21. This terminology and the associated age ranges are consistent with the Bright Futures and American Academy of Pediatrics definition of the stages of development. 4

A given instance of bullying behavior involves at least two unequal roles: one or more individuals who perpetrate the behavior (the perpetrator in this instance) and at least one individual who is bullied (the target in this instance). To avoid labeling and potentially further stigmatizing individuals with the terms “bully” and “victim,” which are sometimes viewed as traits of persons rather than role descriptions in a particular instance of behavior, the committee decided to use “individual who is bullied” to refer to the target of a bullying instance or pattern and “individual who bullies” to refer to the perpetrator of a bullying instance or pattern. Thus, “individual who is bullied and bullies others” can refer to one who is either perpetrating a bullying behavior or a target of bullying behavior, depending on the incident. This terminology is consistent with the approach used by the FPBP (see above). Also, bullying is a dynamic social interaction ( Espelage and Swearer, 2003 ) where individuals can play different roles in bullying interactions based on both individual and contextual factors.

The committee used “cyberbullying” to refer to bullying that takes place using technology or digital electronic means. “Digital electronic forms of contact” comprise a broad category that may include e-mail, blogs, social networking Websites, online games, chat rooms, forums, instant messaging, Skype, text messaging, and mobile phone pictures. The committee uses the term “traditional bullying” to refer to bullying behavior that is not cyberbullying (to aid in comparisons), recognizing that the term has been used at times in slightly different senses in the literature.

Where accurate reporting of study findings requires use of the above terms but with senses different from those specified here, the committee has noted the sense in which the source used the term. Similarly, accurate reporting has at times required use of terms such as “victimization” or “victim” that the committee has chosen to avoid in its own statements.

4 For details on these stages of adolescence, see https://brightfutures.aap.org/Bright%20Futures%20Documents/3-Promoting_Child_Development.pdf [October 2015].

ORGANIZATION OF THE REPORT

This report is organized into seven chapters. After this introductory chapter, Chapter 2 provides a broad overview of the scope of the problem.

Chapter 3 focuses on the conceptual frameworks for the study and the developmental trajectory of the child who is bullied, the child who bullies, and the child who is bullied and also bullies. It explores processes that can explain heterogeneity in bullying outcomes by focusing on contextual processes that moderate the effect of individual characteristics on bullying behavior.

Chapter 4 discusses the cyclical nature of bullying and the consequences of bullying behavior. It summarizes what is known about the psychosocial, physical health, neurobiological, academic-performance, and population-level consequences of bullying.

Chapter 5 provides an overview of the landscape in bullying prevention programming. This chapter describes in detail the context for preventive interventions and the specific actions that various stakeholders can take to achieve a coordinated response to bullying behavior. The chapter uses the Institute of Medicine’s multi-tiered framework ( National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, 2009 ) to present the different levels of approaches to preventing bullying behavior.

Chapter 6 reviews what is known about federal, state, and local laws and policies and their impact on bullying.

After a critical review of the relevant research and practice-based literatures, Chapter 7 discusses the committee conclusions and recommendations and provides a path forward for bullying prevention.

The report includes a number of appendixes. Appendix A includes meeting agendas of the committee’s public information-gathering meetings. Appendix B includes the agenda and summaries of the site visit. Appendix C includes summaries of bullying prevalence data from the national surveys discussed in Chapter 2 . Appendix D provides a list of selected federal resources on bullying for parents and teachers. Appendix E provides biographical sketches of the committee members and project staff.

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Bullying: Problems and Solutions, Essay Example

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In recent years bullying has received greater attention in America’s schools, though the issue of bullying is hardly a new one. While many people might consider bullying to be a matter involving physical intimidation and even physical violence, the range of behaviors that comprise bullying are much broader, and include psychological as well as physical intimidation and actions. According to Long and Alexander (2010), bullying “has been defined as hostile actions, recurring over time that is deliberately destructive and occurs without provocation.” Long and Alexander go on to describe bullying as “a subtype of violent behavior,” driving home the point that the emotional impact of bullying is a form of violence even if no actual physical contact is involved. Bullying behaviors are not restricted to schools; they’re also found ion homes and other social settings, and even in the workplace among adults. From a statistical standpoint, however, bullying is especially pervasive among students of middle-school age (Long & Alexander), and as such it is of significant concern to administrators, teachers, and parents. The following paper examines some of the issues and problems associated with school bullying, as well as several possible solutions.

While bullying is associated with a number of problems for victims and those whose role it is to protect them, perhaps the most significant problem involving bullying is simply recognizing it. There are a number of reasons why bullying often goes unnoticed; among these is that many of the behaviors that constitute bullying often take place less overtly than some of the most blatant acts of physical intimidation or violence. Identifying is inherently subjective, and those who are tasked with identifying it and reporting it will not always see bullying when it occurs (Brank, Hoetger& Hazen, 2012). What might look like harmless teasing to one person might appear to be a clear case of bullying to another. Many forms of bullying fall under the heading of indirect or “relational” bullying, including gossip and rumor, social exclusion, and other social behaviors that can be difficult to identify as bullying (Long & Alexander). Another related problem is that even when some teachers or administrators are aware of bullying, they choose not to intervene. According to one study, 71% of teachers simply ignore most instances of bullying (Schroeder, 1999). Before any effective solutions can be found to bullying it is first necessary for teachers, administrators and parents to know how to identify it and to take it seriously.

Another set of problems associated with bullying are the risk factors that correlate to becoming a potential victim of bullying.Being the victim of bullying is known to be associated with a number of serious risk factors. Studies have determined that there are some cognitive and emotional factors that are commonly seen in victims, which seems to indicate a causal relationship between the two (Brank et al.) These include such conditions as Asperger’s syndrome, a condition on the autism spectrum that undermines an individual’s capacity to understand social norms and respond with socially appropriate behaviors. Children with stronger peer and friend relationships are less likely to be targeted for bullying, though there may be an inverse relationship at work, with victims of bullying retreating from social relationships, thereby affirming the conditions of victim status (Brank et al.). External factors such as socioeconomic background and race are also correlated with bullying, especially when these factors place victims in a social minority at school.

The most serious problems associated with bullying are, of course, the effects on victims. Bullying victims suffer from a range of problems, including higher rates of emotional disturbances such as depression and anxiety (Long & Alexander). Victims of bullying are at a greater risk of committing suicide, using drugs and alcohol, and becoming detached from social settings such as school and family (Brank et al). Victims may develop overt physical symptoms predicated by the stress of victimization, and often report headaches, stomachaches, and other ailments (Collier, 2013). Bullying has clear and often serious effects on victims.

Solving the problem of bullying has no one-size-fits-all solution, and typically requires a multi-pronged approach. The first step towards addressing the issue of bullying is simply raising awareness among responsible adults about the seriousness of the problem. Teachers, administrators, and parents must be given the tools and information to identify bullying behaviors and to understand their negative consequences in order to be able to intervene appropriately. This requires more than just informal conversations, and must include appropriate programs that are provided in an adequate and complete fashion. Settings fort this might include seminars and forums for school officials and teachers, as well as parent-teacher conferences and other settings where parents can be given educational materials and information about available resources.

This educational information must be backed up by practical structures and interventions in schools, with clearly-defined anti-bullying policies and clearly-defined consequences for students who victimize other students (Long & Alexander). Students must also be properly informed about the seriousness of bullying and about the consequences for bullies who engage in inappropriate behavior.  Many states have passed anti-bullying legislation which makes bullying a legal matter, and such legislation generally includes significant punitive measures for bullies, including suspension, expulsion, and even incarceration (Duncan, 2011). While such rules and laws are helpful and appropriate, the best way to protect potential victims is for those responsible for supervising students to intervene as early as possible to minimize the damage of bullying.

Parents of bullying victims can also take steps to minimize the effects of bullying. This can include providing “insulating or protective factors” (Brank et al) to help the victim avoid contact with the bully and to provide positive emotional support. For victims who do not have strong social bonds, parents can help by involving their children in activities of interest or, in some cases, switching schools or finding alternatives to typical education. Victims of bullying may be helped by counseling, and schools should help provide information about the resources available to victims and their families.

While bullying is clearly a serious problem for many victims, it is also clear that bullying behaviors often go unnoticed or ignored by those who are in a position to intervene. Teachers and school officials must learn to identify the range of bullying behaviors and to take these behaviors seriously, while school officials must provide appropriate information for teachers and establish guidelines and policies for students related to anti-bullying measures. Parents must learn to spot the signs that indicate their child is being bullied, and take advantage of the resources and information available to protect and help their children. There is no single solution to stopping bullying, but by working together, parents and schools can help to reduce the problem.

Brank,, E., Hoetger, L., & Hazen, K. (2012). Bullying.  Annual Review Of Law And Social Science I , 8 (2132).

Long, T., Alexander, K. (2010). Bullying: Dilemmas, Definitions, And Solutions. (2010).  Contemporary Issues In Education Research ,  3 (2).

Collier, R. (2013). Bullying Symptoms.  CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association Journal ,  85 (16).

Duncan, S. (2011). Restorative Justice and Bullying: A Missing Solution in the Anti-Bullying Laws.  New England Journal On Criminal & Civil Confinement ,  327 (267).

Schroeder, K. (1999). Bullying.  The Education Digest ,  65 (4).

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Home — Essay Samples — Social Issues — Bullying — Bullying In Schools: Causes, Effects, And Solutions

Bullying in Schools: Causes, Effects, and Solutions

• Categories: Bullying Youth Violence

About this sample

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Published: Dec 16, 2021

Words: 1534 | Pages: 3 | 8 min read

Works Cited

• Bradshaw, C. P., Sawyer, A. L., & O'Brennan, L. M. (2007). Bullying and peer victimization at school: Perceptual differences between students and school staff. School Psychology Review, 36(3), 361-382.
• Espelage, D. L., & Swearer, S. M. (2003). Research on school bullying and victimization: What have we learned and where do we go from here?. School Psychology Review, 32(3), 365-383.
• Hinduja, S., & Patchin, J. W. (2018). Cyberbullying fact sheet: Identification, prevention, and response. Cyberbullying Research Center.
• National Bullying Prevention Center. (2021). Resources. https://www.pacer.org/bullying/resources/
• National Center for Education Statistics. (2022). Student reports of bullying and cyberbullying: Results from the 2020–21 School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey. US Department of Education.
• Olweus, D. (2013). School bullying: Development and some important challenges. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 9, 751-780.
• Patchin, J. W., & Hinduja, S. (2020). School climate 2.0: Preventing cyberbullying and sexting one classroom at a time. Corwin Press.
• StopBullying.gov. (2021). Prevent bullying. https://www.stopbullying.gov/prevention/index.html
• Thompson, F., Smith, P. K., & Rigby, K. (2022). Addressing bullying in schools: Theory and practice. Routledge.
• Ttofi, M. M., & Farrington, D. P. (2011). Effectiveness of school-based programs to reduce bullying: A systematic and meta-analytic review. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 7(1), 27-56.

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Essay on Anti Bullying

Students are often asked to write an essay on Anti Bullying in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Anti Bullying

What is bullying.

Bullying is when someone hurts or scares another person repeatedly. The person being bullied finds it hard to defend themselves. Bullying can be physical, verbal, or online. It can include hitting, name-calling, threatening, and spreading rumors.

Effects of Bullying

Bullying can hurt a person’s feelings and make them sad or scared. It can lead to low self-esteem and poor school performance. In severe cases, it can also cause depression or anxiety. The person being bullied may feel alone and unwanted.

Anti-Bullying

Anti-bullying means actions taken to stop bullying. This can include telling a trusted adult about the bullying or standing up for the person being bullied. Schools can also have anti-bullying programs to teach students about the harm caused by bullying.

Role of Students

Students play a crucial role in anti-bullying. They can support the person being bullied and include them in activities. They can also tell the bully to stop if it is safe to do so. Being kind and respectful to everyone can help prevent bullying.

Bullying hurts people and is never okay. Everyone has the right to feel safe and respected. By standing up against bullying, we can create a kinder and more inclusive world. Remember, your actions can make a big difference.

Also check:

• Paragraph on Anti Bullying

250 Words Essay on Anti Bullying

Bullying is a bad behavior where one person hurts or scares another person on purpose. The person being hurt may have a hard time defending themselves. This can happen many times or just once.

Why is Bullying Wrong?

Bullying is wrong because it hurts people. It can make a person feel sad, scared, or angry. It can also make them feel alone. This can lead to problems like low self-esteem, depression, or even thoughts of suicide.

The Importance of Anti-Bullying

Anti-bullying is about stopping this bad behavior. It is important because everyone deserves to feel safe and happy. Schools, parents, and kids can all play a role in stopping bullying.

What Schools Can Do

Schools can teach about the harm of bullying and how to stop it. They can also make rules against bullying and make sure to enforce them. Schools can also give support to kids who have been bullied.

What Parents Can Do

Parents can teach their kids about respect and kindness. They can also watch for signs of bullying and talk to their kids about it. If their child is being bullied, they can talk to the school about it.

What Kids Can Do

Kids can stand up against bullying if they see it happening. They can also be a friend to someone who is being bullied. Most importantly, they should always tell an adult if they or someone else is being bullied.

Remember, bullying is never okay. Everyone has the right to feel safe and happy. Together, we can stop bullying.

500 Words Essay on Anti Bullying

Understanding bullying.

Bullying is when someone keeps doing or saying things to have power over another person. Some of the ways they bully other people are by: calling them names, saying or writing nasty things about them, leaving them out of activities, not talking to them, threatening them, making them feel uncomfortable or scared, or hurting them physically.

Why is Anti-Bullying Important?

Anti-bullying is important because everyone deserves to feel safe and happy in school, in their neighborhood, or online. Bullying can make people feel lonely, unhappy, and scared. It can affect their concentration and lower their self-esteem. Sometimes it can make them feel so bad that they don’t want to go on living. That’s why we need to stop bullying.

Steps Towards Anti-Bullying

There are many steps we can take to stop bullying. First, we must understand that everyone is different and that’s okay. We should respect others’ differences and treat everyone kindly. If you see someone being bullied, it’s important to stand up for them. Tell a trusted adult about the bullying. Don’t just stand by and watch; it’s important to take action.

Role of Schools in Anti-Bullying

Schools play a big role in stopping bullying. They can teach students about the harms of bullying, encourage them to speak up about it, and take action when it happens. Schools can also provide a safe and friendly environment where everyone is treated with respect.

Role of Parents in Anti-Bullying

Parents too have a big role in stopping bullying. They can teach their children about the importance of respecting others. They should also encourage their children to talk about their feelings and any problems they may be having. If their child is being bullied, parents should take it seriously and take steps to stop it.

In conclusion, bullying is a serious problem that we need to stop. Everyone has the right to feel safe and happy. We all have a role to play in stopping bullying. By understanding, standing up against, and taking action to stop bullying, we can make our schools, neighborhoods, and online spaces safer and happier for everyone.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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Essay on Bullying

Here we have shared the Essay on Bullying in detail so you can use it in your exam or assignment of 150, 300, 500, or 1000 words.

You can use this Essay on Bullying in any assignment or project whether you are in school (class 10th or 12th), college, or answer writing for competitive exams. 

Topics covered in this article.

Essay on Bullying in 150 words

Essay on bullying in 250-300 words, essay on bullying in 500-1000 words.

Bullying is a serious issue that affects individuals of all ages, particularly in schools and online platforms. It involves repeated aggressive behavior aimed at causing harm, imbalance of power, and psychological distress to the victim. Bullying can take various forms, such as physical, verbal, or relational aggression.

The consequences of bullying are significant and long-lasting. Victims often experience emotional and psychological trauma, leading to decreased self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and even suicidal ideation. Bullying also creates an unhealthy and hostile environment, impacting the overall well-being of individuals and hindering their ability to thrive and learn.

To combat bullying, it is crucial to raise awareness, promote empathy, and foster a culture of respect and inclusivity. Schools and communities should implement anti-bullying policies and provide support systems for both victims and perpetrators. Education on the effects of bullying and the importance of kindness and empathy can help prevent and address this issue effectively. It is everyone’s responsibility to stand up against bullying and create a safe and nurturing environment for all individuals.

Bullying is a harmful and pervasive issue that involves repeated aggressive behavior aimed at causing harm, distress, and power imbalance. It manifests in various forms such as physical, verbal, or relational aggression, primarily affecting individuals in schools.

The consequences of bullying are significant and far-reaching. Victims often experience emotional and psychological trauma, leading to decreased self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and, in extreme cases, suicidal ideation. Bullying not only impacts individual victims but also creates an unhealthy environment that hampers overall well-being and learning.

To combat bullying effectively, awareness and prevention strategies are essential. Raising awareness about the nature and consequences of bullying among students, teachers, parents, and communities is crucial. Implementing comprehensive anti-bullying policies in schools, defining bullying, establishing reporting mechanisms, and imposing appropriate consequences for perpetrators is necessary. Fostering a culture of respect, empathy, and inclusivity can prevent bullying and create a safer environment.

Support systems should be in place for both victims and bullies. Victims need access to counseling and resources to cope with the effects of bullying. Intervention programs and counseling can help bullies develop empathy, address underlying issues, and learn alternative behaviors.

Collaboration between schools, parents, and communities is vital. Open communication, encouraging reporting, and proactive measures are necessary to create a positive and safe environment.

In conclusion, bullying is a harmful issue with severe consequences for individuals and communities. By raising awareness, implementing policies, fostering a culture of respect and empathy, and providing support, we can combat bullying effectively. Together, we can create a society where bullying is not tolerated, and individuals can thrive in safe and inclusive environments.

Title: Bullying – The Menace That Demands Immediate Attention

Introduction :

Bullying is a persistent and alarming issue that plagues individuals across various environments, with schools being a common breeding ground for such behavior. This essay aims to explore the definition and types of bullying, its detrimental effects on victims, the underlying causes, the role of bystanders, and the strategies required to effectively address and prevent bullying.

I. Definition and Types of Bullying

Bullying is a form of repeated and intentional aggression characterized by a power imbalance, where the bully seeks to cause harm, distress, and domination over the victim. It can take various forms, including physical aggression, verbal abuse, relational manipulation, and cyberbullying.

II. Detrimental Effects of Bullying

Bullying has severe consequences for the mental, emotional, and social well-being of victims. It can lead to decreased self-esteem, anxiety, depression, academic decline, school avoidance, and in extreme cases, suicidal ideation or attempts. The long-lasting effects of bullying extend beyond the immediate victim, creating a hostile and unhealthy environment for all individuals involved.

III. Underlying Causes of Bullying

Several factors contribute to the development of bullying behavior. These may include family dynamics, exposure to aggression or violence, a desire for power and control, low empathy levels, and a lack of appropriate social skills. Additionally, societal factors such as media influence and cultural norms may indirectly support or perpetuate bullying behavior.

IV. The Role of Bystanders

Bystanders play a significant role in the bullying dynamic. They can either reinforce the bully’s behavior by passively observing or actively participating, or they can intervene and support the victim. Creating a culture where bystanders feel empowered to speak up against bullying and report incidents is crucial in addressing this issue.

V. Strategies to Address and Prevent Bullying

A. awareness and education, b. establishing clear policies and consequences, c. encouraging reporting and support, d. empathy and social-emotional learning, e. involving the community.

Raising awareness about the detrimental effects of bullying and its various forms is essential. Educational institutions should implement comprehensive anti-bullying programs that educate students, teachers, and parents about the signs of bullying, its impact, and the importance of intervention.

Schools should have well-defined anti-bullying policies that outline the definition of bullying, reporting procedures, and consequences for perpetrators. These policies should be communicated effectively to all stakeholders to create a safe and inclusive environment.

Creating a safe reporting system where victims and witnesses feel comfortable reporting incidents is crucial. Offering support and counseling services for victims, as well as intervention programs for bullies, helps address the underlying issues and promote behavioral change.

Integrating empathy and social-emotional learning programs into the curriculum can foster a culture of respect, kindness, and empathy. Teaching students how to manage emotions, develop healthy relationships, and resolve conflicts peacefully can prevent bullying behavior.

Engaging parents, community members, and local organizations in anti-bullying initiatives fosters a collective effort in addressing this issue. Collaboration between schools, families, and communities is essential to create a comprehensive and sustained approach to bullying prevention.

Conclusion :

Bullying is a deeply concerning issue that inflicts significant harm on individuals and communities. By raising awareness, implementing clear policies, fostering empathy, involving bystanders, and providing support, we can effectively address and prevent bullying. It is our collective responsibility to create safe and inclusive environments where every individual can thrive without fear of aggression or harm. Through concerted efforts, we can eradicate bullying and cultivate a society built on respect, empathy, and equality.

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Bullying Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on bullying.

Bullying refers to aggressive behavior so as to dominate the other person. It refers to the coercion of power over others so that one individual can dominate others. It is an act that is not one time, instead, it keeps on repeating over frequent intervals.  The person(s) who bullies others can be termed as bullies, who make fun of others due to several reasons. Bullying is a result of someone’s perception of the imbalance of power.

Types of bullying :

There can be various types of bullying, like:

• Physical bullying:  When the bullies try to physically hurt or torture someone, or even touch someone without his/her consent can be termed as physical bullying .
• Verbal bullying:  It is when a person taunts or teases the other person.
• Psychological bullying:  When a person or group of persons gossip about another person or exclude them from being part of the group, can be termed as psychological bullying.
• Cyber bullying:  When bullies make use of social media to insult or hurt someone. They may make comments bad and degrading comments on the person at the public forum and hence make the other person feel embarrassed. Bullies may also post personal information, pictures or videos on social media to deteriorate some one’s public image.

Read Essay on Cyber Bullying

Bullying can happen at any stage of life, such as school bullying, College bullying, Workplace bullying, Public Place bullying, etc. Many times not only the other persons but the family members or parents also unknowingly bully an individual by making constant discouraging remarks. Hence the victim gradually starts losing his/her self-esteem, and may also suffer from psychological disorders.

A UNESCO report says that 32% of students are bullied at schools worldwide. In our country as well, bullying is becoming quite common. Instead, bullying is becoming a major problem worldwide. It has been noted that physical bullying is prevalent amongst boys and psychological bullying is prevalent amongst girls.

Prevention strategies:

In the case of school bullying, parents and teachers can play an important role. They should try and notice the early symptoms of children/students such as behavioral change, lack of self-esteem, concentration deficit, etc. Early recognition of symptoms, prompt action and timely counseling can reduce the after-effects of bullying on the victim.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Anti-bullying laws :

One should be aware of the anti-bullying laws in India. Awareness about such laws may also create discouragement to the act of bullying amongst children and youngsters. Some information about anti-bullying laws is as follows:

• Laws in School: To put a notice on the notice board that if any student is found bullying other students then he/she can be rusticated. A committee should be formed which can have representatives from school, parents, legal, etc.
• Laws in Colleges: The government of India, in order to prevent ragging , has created guideline called “UGC regulations on curbing the menace of ragging in Higher Education Institutions,2009”.
• Cyber Bullying Laws: The victim can file a complaint under the Indian Penal Code .

Conclusion:

It is the duty of the parents to constantly preach their children about not bullying anyone and that it is wrong. Hence, if we, as a society need to grow and develop then we have to collectively work towards discouraging the act of bullying and hence make our children feel secure.

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Persuasive Essay Writing

Persuasive Essay About Bullying

Learn How To Craft a Powerful Persuasive Essay About Bullying

Published on: Jan 24, 2023

Last updated on: Jan 29, 2024

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Are you looking for ways to craft a powerful persuasive essay about bullying? Writing an effective and engaging persuasive essay is no easy task.

However, with some preparation and planning, it can be a piece of cake! 

From outlining strong arguments to providing examples, we will explain all details of composing a perfect persuasive essay about bullying.

So without further ado, let’s get started!

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Writing a Perfect Persuasive Essay About Bullying 

Bullying is a major issue that affects many children, teens, and adults in schools, workplaces, and other environments. 

Writing a persuasive essay about bullying can effectively raise awareness of the problem and find solutions.

Here are a few components of a persuasive essay that you should include:

• An Introduction 

Start your essay with an interesting introduction that explains the concept of bullying and its effects on those involved.

Provide evidence to support your argument using facts, statistics, and personal accounts to support your claims. 

Offer potential solutions to the problem of bullying. Focus on proposing effective solutions that can be implemented in schools and other environments where bullying is a common issue.

• Call to Action

Conclude your essay with a call to action for both victims and bystanders of bullying. Encourage them to stop it or report it when they witness it happening.

Here Is How You Can Write a Persuasive Essay About Bullying Introduction 

Writing an introduction to a persuasive essay about bullying can be challenging.

To start, it's important to understand the purpose of the introduction. It is to provide a brief overview of the topic and introduce your thesis statement. 

• Begin by providing a general overview of the topic of bullying.
• Introduce the main point of your essay: your thesis statement. 
• Create a hook for your introduction to draw readers into your topic and compel them to read further. 
• State why this issue is important and relevant, providing evidence from authoritative sources to support your claims. 
• Conclude your introduction with a summary of the main points you will make in the essay. 

How To Write Body Paragraphs In a Persuasive Essay About Bullying

Body paragraphs in a persuasive essay about bullying should focus on providing evidence to support the thesis statement. 

This can be done through various research methods such as interviews, surveys, and personal experiences. 

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job!

Here are five ways to effectively write body paragraphs for a persuasive essay about bullying:

1. Utilize vivid tone and descriptive imagery

2. Present evidence - Provide facts, figures, and other evidence to support your argument. 

3. Discuss consequences: Explain how bullying hurts individuals, communities, and society. 

4. Make a call to action: Ask the reader to participate in anti-bullying initiatives or speak up when they witness bullying.

5. Offer solutions: Suggest ways to prevent bullying, such as implementing more school-wide programs or teaching students.

How To Write The Conclusion In a Persuasive Essay About Bullying

The conclusion of a persuasive essay about bullying should summarize the key arguments. 

It should provide a call to action for readers to take further steps in preventing or stopping bullying.

Check out this amazing video!

Lastly, it is important to end on a positive note, reassuring readers that progress is possible.

Learn more about making perfect persuasive essay outlines in this amazing blog!

Examples of Persuasive Essay About Bullying

We have shared some practical examples of persuasive essays on bullying so that you can get inspired and start crafting your paper. 

Persuasive essay about bullying must stop

Short Example of Persuasive essay about bullying

Persuasive essay about bullying in school

Cyber Bullying Persuasive Essay

Bullying Persuasive Speech

Examples of Argumentative Essay About Bullying

These essay samples can give you a helpful look at how other students have approached this complex topic before. 

Argumentative Essay About Bullying Introduction, Body, Conclusion

Argumentative essay about bullying pdf

Check out this amazing blog by our expert writers on persuasive essay examples !

Interesting Persuasive Essay Topics About Bullying

Have a look at these inspiring topics. You might get motivation for your next persuasive essay. 

• Should Schools Implement Mandatory Training Programmes to Address Bullying?
• What Role Do Parents and Guardians Play in Preventing Bullying? 
• Is Online Harassment on the Rise and How Can We Stop it?
• How Effective Are Anti-Bullying Policies at Schools?
• Should Employers be Responsible for Preventing Bullying in the Workplace? 
• How Can We Make Schools a Safer Place to Help Students Avoid Bullying?
• Is Social Media Making Bullying Worse? 
• Are Laws and Regulations Regarding Cyberbullying Effective Enough?
• Should Teachers Be Held Accountable for Bullying in the Classroom?
• What Are Some of the Long-Term Effects of Bullying on Victims? 
• How Can We Encourage Bystanders to Speak Out Against Bullying? 
• Is Cyberbullying More Difficult for Parents and Schools to Stop Than Traditional Bullying? 
• Should Government Intervention be Required to Address the Bullying Crisis in Schools?
• How Can We Help Victims of Bullying Heal and Recover? 
• What Are Some Effective Ways to Prevent Bullying From Occurring?

Check out some more persuasive essay topics to get inspiration for your next essay.

In conclusion, consider all aspects of the issue when writing a persuasive essay on bullying. You should provide evidence to support your point of view and address any potential counterarguments. 

If you're struggling to write a persuasive essay on bullying, CollegeEssay.org's persuasive essay writing service is here for you.

Our experienced essay writer can help you create a well-researched, persuasive, and compelling essay.

With our essay writing service, you can be sure your essay will make an impact. 

Our AI essay writer is here to assist you in creating a well-reasoned argument.

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• NATURE CAREERS PODCAST
• 28 June 2023

Bullying in academia: why it happens and how to stop it

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Morteza Mahmoudi and Chris Jackson talk about how to address bullying in academia.

Morteza Mahmoudi witnessed bullying behaviours during a series of lab visits following his PhD in 2009. He now studies the topic alongside his role as a nanoscience and regenerative medicine researcher at Michigan State University in East Lansing. In 2019 he co-founded the Academic Parity Movement, a non-profit which aims to end academic discrimination, violence and bullying across the sector.

In the seventh episode of this podcast series about freedom and safety in science, Mahmoudi tells Adam Levy that bullying is triggered by workplace power imbalances and is particularly prevalent in academia with its hierarchical structure, often causing targets to stay silent.

Bullying can cause a range of physical and mental health problems, he says. Perpetrators damage individuals, institutions’ reputations and wider society. He outlines steps to take if you find yourself bullied, and how academic institutions can tackle the problem.

Mahmoudi is joined by geoscientist Chris Jackson, who left academia in 2022 for a role at engineering consultancy Jacobs, based in Manchester, UK. Jackson welcomes the fact that bullying harassment and discrimination in academia is now more talked about, but says its root cause is an individual’s inability to put themselves in someone else’s position and identify with their personality and experience.

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-023-02172-w

Adam Levy: 00:03

Hello, I’m Adam Levy and this is Working Scientist , a Nature Careers podcast. In this episode: bullying in science.

Throughout this series we’ve looked at the threats to scientists and to science itself, threats to freedom and safety that can end careers and block avenues of research.

As we’ve discussed, many such threats come from outside of science. External factors like war, an economic situation, or political interference. But today, in our seventh episode of the series, we’re taking a look at a problem that comes from within the research world, a problem whose severity can derail lives, and yet can be found in labs the world over.

Today we’re talking about bullying and harassment in academic research.

Harassment and bullying can take many forms, and no two experiences are the same. Earlier in this series, we spoke about the impact that online harassment can have on researchers. And in that episode we spoke with Chris Jackson, a geoscientist at the engineering company Jacobs, in the UK.

Chris also shared his thoughts on why, despite evidence of widespread harassment in the sciences, there’s so little awareness of the problem.

Chris Jackson: 01:35

There seems to be this amazing bus between how common it is and the awareness of it. And I think that, in itself, explains why, that it’s so common bullying and harassment, is because I think some people are just ignorant to it.

Either they don’t know what bullying harassment means or by them not being subjected to it, they can't almost imagine it happens to other people.

And I really think, you know, whether it’s bullying, harassment, such as racial discrimination, or its anti-queer sentiments and discrimination, I think a lot of these things arise because people are unable to put themselves in somebody else’s position and identify with the axes of that other person’s personality, which might mean that discrimination is more likely to occur to them than it is to them themselves.

So I do think just that awareness, and continually talking about things, and then showing a bunch of data which kind of explain numerically what the problem is and how it affects people, it’s really, really important, because sometimes it’s just ignorance, and sometimes it’s just, you know, an unwillingness to believe that happens. But we need to keep on banging the drum about these things.

Adam Levy: 02:46

It can seem like a lot of institutions are taking more and more measures to actually fight bullying and harassment. Do you think this is actually taking place in institutions you’ve been aware of? Or is it more about paying lip service to the idea of taking action?

Chris Jackson: 03:03

I think there’s some good people trying to do some good things, is probably the first bit of my answer, I think.

The second bit of my answer is there’s some people who want to be seen to be doing the right thing and doing good things, and they want to be seen to be good.

I can honestly say 20 years into my academic career, although I’m not you know, I’ve kind of recently moved away from the centre of it, these things are being talked about more.

We are, we are talking more about bullying and harassment. You know, there are podcast series and op-eds about about the importance of this, and we’re trying to recognize the importance of good academic conduct and positive academic environments as an integral part of the academic process.

And that wasn’t happening 20 years ago. I think we have moved positively in that sense, which I think is good. Now we still need to have the tenacity and the processes and the, you know - whether they’re disciplinary or supporting victims of abuse - we need to have resources, financial and otherwise, being put into those things to make sure that we’re not just talking about these things more, we are actually seeing people having a better experience within academia or within science more generally, as a function of these things we’re trying to implement.

And that’s all that matters really. It doesn’t matter if you talk about things. All that matters is that people have a better time of it. That’s where we want to get to. How we get there is kind of secondary in a way.

Adam Levy: 04:27

Chris Jackson there. Some researchers have made it their mission to find a way to make the situation better, and to uncover why so many individuals and institutions resist the changes needed to stamp out bullying and harassment in science.

For example, nanomedicine and regenerative medicine researcher Morteza Mahmoudi, who’s at Michigan State University. Besides his official academic research, Morteza is also the co-founder and director of the Academic Parity movement.

Since 2019 the organization has aimed to provide external resources for targets of academic bullying.

We began our conversation discussing what inspired Morteza to found the movement.

Morteza Mahmoudi: 05:15

When I basically got my PhD back in 2009, I had to basically get training in different aspects of science, like in medicine.

So I started visiting different labs and get additional training. So no matter where I basically work, I always basically saw people suffering from the issues of academic bullying and harassment.

So I wrote a short piece to Nature about the issues of the reporting system in the field of academic bullying and harassment.

And it was interesting that between two weeks after publication of these pieces, the number of feedback that I’ve got was like hugely higher than all of the feedbacks that I’ve got for over 200 papers that I had in the field of nanomedicine and regenerative medicine.

So I thought with myself that, okay, our role as a scientist is to make the world a better place to live. So what is better than studying academic bullying? It seems that it’s a real problem, but yet no one talks about it. So I basically, I started studying academic bullying seriously, from that time.

Adam Levy: 06:37

Now, when we talk about bullying, and specifically academic bullying, how do we define those terms?

Morteza Mahmoudi: 06:45

In general terms academic bullying is a violation of human rights in an academic setting.

But it has a wide range of actions. It starts from, like, verbal abuse, all the way to stealing intellectual properties, or authorship credit. Advanced version, I would say, it’s a false allegation of academic misconduct in an attempt to basically remove star scientists from competition.

Adam Levy: 07:19

What are the effects on academics who are being bullied, both in terms of their careers, but also in terms of the actual wellbeing?

Morteza Mahmoudi: 07:30

It has huge effects. It starts from mental health issues in short term, like anxiety or stress.

But in long term, it can also develop serious cardiovascular issues, PTSD, and other mental and even physical health issues.

I always encourage people to also consider the fact that this is not a problem that only affect targets. It also affect like other people. For example, if a target is in like a medical setting or in healthcare, academic bullying, or other types of bullying and harassment, can increase wrong decision-making in medical procedures. So it even affects patients.

Adam Levy: 08:20

Given all these incredibly negative effects on the person on the receiving end, as well as the wider discipline, why does this kind of behaviour happen in the first place?

Morteza Mahmoudi: 08:32

So there are many reasons for that. I mean, the bullying happens actually, when we have power differences. And unfortunately, in academia, they have a unique power difference structures.

If you look at the universities, when an international student basically comes to a lab, many of the major decisions about the careers and also their residency in the lab, gets limited to one person, which is a PI.

So people at higher level of power feel less accountable about their actions and behaviours. If, like a bullying cases get kind of escalated at the lab level, and the target basically complains to department chair or other authorities at the universities, the outcomes that at least we see from scandals that comes to the news are very disappointing, and encourage basically perpetrators to do what they do. And also encourage targets to use the code of silence.

For example, in many cases of academic bullying that comes to the news, specifically like a couple of cases that basically they witnessed last year, the situation is that the perpetrator does bullying behaviour for even a couple of decades.

There were like hundreds of targets, who a portion of them complained to the university and nothing happened. Basically perpetrators got protected for a variety of reasons. For example, one reason is that their interest is intertwined with university’s interest. They bring huge amount of money and funding to the university. Universities gets overhead. So they basically sweep the case under the carpet,

It sends a clear signal to perpetrators that they are protected. They can do whatever they want to do, and another negative signals to target that it's better to use the code of silence

Adam Levy: 10:47

Given all of that. it might seem almost a bit helpless to someone who does find themselves on the receiving end of bullying. What actions can someone actually take if they are in this situation, being bullied by someone in the academic workplace, especially when that might be a superior, someone with power over them?

Morteza Mahmoudi: 11:08

So the first thing is that they should detect and identify academic bullying at the first place. The second part is to document everything. Academic bullies are clever. They barely leave trace of their actions.

So every single chance that basically a target can get to document, they need to document that. If someone is witness, they basically need to also collect their names, their ideas. The third important thing is collective actions.

So it would be great that they basically find allies and look for others that are in the, in the same situation. So this helps a lot.

The other thing is to inform themselves, or basically educate themselves, about the internal and external resources that are available to them to get help.

For example, one of the trusted resources is ombudsofficers, getting consultation from legal bodies, for example. They can consult with a lawyer about the situation.

Be aware of retaliation of any kind, which is unfortunately very common in the case of, like, academic bullying. Try to see what happened to other people at the same cases, and have Plan B in mind.

Adam Levy: 12:38

Now, how is all of this limited when there are serious risks to the career of the academic when they would speak out? For example, I’m speaking about maybe foreign students whose visa depends on them continuing their degree with their supervisor.

Morteza Mahmoudi: 12:56

Yeah, that’s unfortunately the sad reality.

The outcomes of our global survey, which we have done in 2019, and we received over 2000 responses to that, reveal that one of the main reasons that targets try to use code of silence instead of speaking up, is the fear of retaliation.

The examples like I mentioned, that came to the news shows that when a person basically complain, they receive serious direct or indirect mobbing which is basically ganging up against targets.

But at the same time, the recent awareness about the issue of academic polling basically forced other stakeholders to come in and take some actions.

For example, funding agencies now have a direct line for targets to basically report any abuse they receive, if the PIs are funded by that particular agency. One thing I always emphasize for international students is to be proactive about the lab that they want to do the research.

So if they try to reach out to the former lab members, they can get useful feedback.

So by being proactive, they can actually evaluate the lab health prior to joining a lab.

Adam Levy: 14:30

That note of doing research before moving a lab is actually something we touched on in a previous series of this podcast when we were discussing moving labs.

But a lot of what we’ve been talking about just now has been about what the victim of bullying can do if they find themselves in that situation.

What about third parties, people who perhaps witnessed this kind of behaviour taking place?

Morteza Mahmoudi: 14:55

Yeah, so first of all, I would like to change the word of victim to target.

It’s important because victim has kind of a negative feeling to the, to the basically target. Anyway, a witness can basically do a lot of things.

They can interfere with the situation to basically change the direction of the discussion. They can report what they witness, at least to the trusted internal resources, like to the ombudsperson. They can basically back up the claims of the targets, if they decide to speak up. There’s a kind of risk. But if they take the risk and want to report they can have a great effect.

Adam Levy: 15:44

As you’ve shared, a big part of why bullying and harassment are so commonplace is because there are all these structures in place which which effectively protect the bullier. What should institutions change in how they handle these kinds of cases?

Morteza Mahmoudi: 16:01

So institutions and universities by its own basically, have limited intention to fairly consider the cases of academic bullying and harassment. What we are basically advocating for is making a platform that all of the involved, the stakeholders, can be responsible and response able for those cases.

For example, if funding agencies gets involved in the cases, and they basically ban universities that have higher rate of bullying cases from funding they provide, then universities are forced to take more fair actions about, like those issues.

The other thing is to better understand the long-term effects of academic bullying and harassment on institutions and also on science.

The long-term side effect is far beyond the target. It causes many talented scientists to leave academia. It can cause data fabrication, because in many cases that the basically witness and reach to the reports, bowling was the initial force, to targets to fabricate data. And the other important stakeholders that needs to be involved, I think, are taxpayers.

All of the costs of the perpetrators are being covered by the university’s lawyer, which are basically taxpayers’ money and funding.

The other thing I think is very important that needs to be carefully considered in the field of academic bullying and harassment, is the accountability of the investigation, internal investigation committees, who basically made those decisions and what responsibilities they have over the decisions.

Adam Levy: 18:07

What does it mean to you purely on a personal level, to be able to carry out this work to try and address academic bullying and harassment?

Morteza Mahmoudi: 18:17

As a scientist and as a building block of the scientific community, we want to basically do something that matters. If the universities can’t handle the bullying and harassment, because it’s very unfortunate, but again, it’s a reality, that if targets of academic bullying and harassment remains unhealed, there’s a great risk that they would be a future bullies when they basically get to the power position.

So honestly, I get paid, like, for my works in nanomedicine, and regenerative medicine. But I value the work I do volunteering on, like, academic bullying and harassment, because I see in real time that it helps targets of academic bullying, and it may help the field to kind of move forward in creating a platform that finally all of their stakeholders and decision-makers and gatekeepers basically, can feel responsible and response able to finally put an end on this age-old issue.

Adam Levy: 19:32

Morteza Mahmoudi there. We mentioned in previous episodes that this series would be in seven parts, and this is indeed the seventh episode.

But in producing the series, in particular this episode, we’ve realized there’s just too much to say to fit it all in.

And so we'll be returning to the topic of harassment and misconduct in science in an episode coming soon, where we'll look specifically at the devastation that sexual harassment and assault can have on researchers, and on research.

That episode should be out in a couple of weeks. So make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss it. Until then, thanks for listening. I’m Adam Levy.

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18 Proven Strategies to Teach Kids To Handle Bullying

Posted: August 17, 2023 | Last updated: August 17, 2023

An Unpleasant Trend

Sadly, the majority of the world's youth are exposed to bullying in some way. According to the  U.S. Department of Education , between 1 in 4 and 1 in 3 U.S. students are bullied, with the most common occurrence of bullying happening in middle school. While not every student is bullied, a whopping 70 percent of students have witnessed bullying. Whether or not they're the target, bullying can create a stressful and unhealthy learning environment for students of all ages. Here are tips for parents and kids to understand bullying — and how to stop it.   Editor's note: This story was updated in August 2023.

How to Identify Bullying

In order to handle bullying, you and your child must first know what it is. Bullying is unwanted, intentional, and repeated aggressive behavior in any form of cyber, physical, social-exclusion, and verbal situations . While the results of being bullied and being a bully can include depression and even suicide , the encouraging news is that there are many ways your child can learn to defend themself against bullying.  

Parents: Talk About It

Make sure your child understands what bullying is. "Teach them how to understand the differences, similarities, and importance of the bully, the bystander, and the victim," says Carrie A. Plourde, a licensed PK-3 educator and school counselor. With this knowledge, your child will be better equipped to deal with a bully situation whether they are the victim or someone else is.

Kids: Walk with Friends

For more smart parenting tips,  please sign up for our free newsletters .

Parents: Know the Rules

As a parent, you can become empowered and help your child once you understand the laws and regulations pertaining to bullying , as well as your child's school's stance on bullying and their procedures for dealing with it, says Nissa Rinaldi, licensed professional counselor.

Kids: Ignore a Bully

According to Jim Bisenius, a child and adolescent therapist who has worked with over 300 targeted kids in the last 22 years, the best reaction you can have in a bullying situation is not reacting. Even the best of comebacks will fall on deaf ears to a bully — or worse, escalate the situation. The best thing to do is to pretend you can't see or hear their words and actions. Talking back, no matter what they say or do, is feeding the bully the reaction they want. Rinaldi agrees, adding "Consider it like a gumball machine. If the machine is empty (aka lack of emotional reaction from the victim), there's eventually no satisfaction to return again."

Parents: Communicate

Kids: Use the Right Body Language

Parents: Listen

When children do come to you, the single most important thing to do is to listen. Give them your full attention and make eye contact, too. "It's important to show children that they are being heard by summarizing what they're saying and reflecting back what they have said without including the parent's own opinion. After creating the safe space, then a parent can ask the child if they are looking for help, advice, or just someone to listen," says Rinaldi. 

Related: Positive Communication Skills for Talking to People in Distress

Kids: Practice Handling a Bully

Parents: Give Your Child Control

Let your child have the final say in handling a bully. According to Bisenius, "Communication can be greatly improved between parent and child by the parent promising (and then really following through) to let their son or daughter stay in control of what happens after they share bullying information."

Kids: Keep a Distance

Parents: Don't Change Your Mind

If you do promise children that you will let them decide how to handle bullying, don't change your mind if you don't like what the path they choose. "If the student retains 'veto' power over any response the parent suggests, it will prevent the parent from taking over and accidentally making things worse," explains Bisenius. "This unfortunately happens most of the time. Then the kid doesn't trust them anymore and says everything is fine while they are now really suffering with no parent support in silence."

Kids: Slow Your Speed

Parents: Avoid the Urge to Rescue

"Rescuing is very temporary," Bisenius says. "The bullying child simply drops below all adult radars and retaliates. Then the child lies to their parents and says, "Everything is fine," while thinking, "please never help me again."

Kids: Never Give a Bully Anything

If a bully wants something from you, the worst thing you can do is give it to them. According to Bisenius, the bully will just ask for more. The same goes with being overly nice and inviting the bully places. That is a form of showing fear — your actions are saying, "I'm so scared of you, I'm going to bribe you with things and invitations to prevent you from being mean to me." Just don't do it.

Parents: Empower Instead of Rescue

Instead of ignoring your child's wishes and trying to rescue them, the best way you can help your child is to empower them with productive communication and conflict resolution strategies, says Plourde.

Kids: Be a Positive Bystander

If you aren't the victim, but do witness a bullying incident, you can still make a stand and have a positive impact on the victim. "Try talking to the person you witness being bullied," Rinaldi says. "For example, if the situation is unsafe during the bullying, make sure to check in with the victim after the fact and see how they're doing." Recording the bullying with a cell phone can discourage the bully and can be used to report the problem.

Parents: Encourage Kids to Connect with Friends

Parents: Model Kindness

Your kids are watching you and your social behaviors. They model their behavior after what they are seeing, so make sure you are always a model of kindness to others and not a bully yourself. Make sure that you also treat them with kindness and compassion so they learn to treat others that way.

This article was originally published on Cheapism

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• Cyberbullying Essays

How to stop Cyber bullying Essay

The use of information technology is currently a more popular social phenomenon than ever before. Thus, most young people are using the Internet for different purposes which may include studies and undertaking research, but mostly for socialization (Ybarra 247). The internet has now become a big source of fun for the majority of young people, with chatting, e-mailing, sharing pictures, videos and other forms of documents and files becoming everyday activities. Nevertheless, just like in many other social situations in life, there are people who take pride in harassing, demeaning and bullying others using the information technology and electronic devices, a practice commonly referred to as cyber bullying (“Prevent Cyber bullying”). Bullying can cause frustrations on the victims, especially those who are bullied constantly, resulting in psychological trauma or even more fatal occurrences such as suicide. Thus, parents should team up with their children to explore and develop safe ways of using technology, while monitoring and controlling their children’s internet use, to protect their children against cyber bullying. The practice of receiving mean messages, threatening texts, hurtful posts or even negative and damaging rumors is something that is happening with teens and adolescents every single day globally. It is no longer unusual for teens to find sexually explicit and obscene photographs of them or their friends on the internet, even without knowing how pictures ended up there. According to bullyingstatistics.org, 50 of adolescents and teens have experienced cyber bullying, and equally 50 of the teens and adolescents have been involved in cyber bullying (bullyingstatistics.org). Additionally, one in every three adolescents has received threatening messages either through the Internet or over the phone, while 25 of teens have experienced repetitive cyber bullying (bullyingstatistics.org). Consequently, according to statistics from the meganmeierfoundation.org, 2.2 million school children reported having experienced cyber bullying in the USA in 2011 (“Bullying, Cyber bullying & Suicide Statistics”). Most worrying though, is the fact that 38 of frequent bullied-victims in 2013 reported having suicidal thoughts, which sends a shock down the spine, considering that suicide has been identified as the third major cause of death for young people aged between 15 and 24 years (“Bullying, Cyber bullying & Suicide Statistics”). While the connection between cyber bullying and suicidal thoughts for 38 of the people who have been bullied repetitively can seem to be farfetched, there is no doubt that evidence lies everywhere that cyber bullying is a killer behavior. Alexis Pilkington, a well known and celebrated athlete at her prime age of career committed suicide in her bedroom, following a streak of cyber bullying messages, thus ending her promising life on March 21, 2010 (Long and Gross, n.p.). Why is cyber bulling such a big issue if one may ask? Cyber bullying has the same effects as physical bullying; only that cyber bullying is worse, since there is no running away (Ybarra, 251). It would be easier to escape from physical confrontation, but the psychological trauma arising from cyber bullying is devastating. This is because; the internet is all over, and if an individual being cyber-bullied decided not to access the internet anymore, his/her friends or alternatively enemies, will still make the torture continue. Simply put therefore, cyber bullying can frustrate a victim to death, since there are just very few options of running away from it once it has started (Ybarra, 251). The major problem is that the victim may at times turn out to be the aggressor in an attempt to defend against the cyber bullies, and this can go on until cows come home. However, one thing is certain; psychological trauma, mental illnesses or at worst suicidal thoughts, are not farfetched occurrences on cyber bullying victims. There is no doubt therefore, that many organizations, both online and on-location have come up to help address the vice of cyber bullying. In every major city or town, every social media site and every community organization running out there, someone is doing something about cyber bullying. Campaigns have been launched on the online platforms and even in the mainstream media through print messages warning against the evil of cyber bullying, while others are advertising professional help for the victims of cyber bullying. The setback associated with online and on-location campaigns against cyber bullying is that they target helping the victims of cyber bullying, and not so much on preventing potential victims from falling into the trap (bullyingstatistics.org). The government on its side is enacting, defining and redefining laws and statutes that can prosecute the perpetrators of cyber bullying once they have been unlucky to be nabbed by the hand of the law. Nevertheless, even with appropriate laws in place, with the anonymity option that cyber bullies mostly apply, finding them into the drag net is something that resilience will reward. Simply put therefore, the society is trying the most viable options at hand, but the options never prove to be adequate for the daunting task of bringing down cyber bullying (Long and Gross, n.p.). Therefore, the best and only solution to cyber bullying is this one; child-parent partnership to exploring and adapting safe ways of using the internet. Culture builds people or people build culture. Either way, culture has an influence on the way of life of a people. Thus, building the culture of responsible use of the internet and the social media platforms is the most fool proof method of addressing cyber bullying (“Prevent Cyber bullying”.). However, building such a culture cannot be that simple. The internet has temptations. But, even with the temptations, a prepared and warned teen or adolescent is better in handling the temptation than the unprepared and the clueless one. In this respect, parents can build a culture of responsible internet use through partnering with their children, not in prohibiting them from the social media and internet use, but letting them understand fully the magnitude of the danger posed by irresponsible use of the internet and the other technology tools available to them (“Prevent Cyber bullying”). Parents can sit down and discuss with their children about the internet and its applications. Parents should know what their children are doing online by carefully monitoring every of their online interaction whenever possible. Through the child-parent partnership, parents should set the rule of internet and other technology tools used by their children (“Prevent Cyber bullying”). With the knowledge of how the children are using the internet and the rules of its use in place, parents should enforce the rules with a firm hand, but encourage and reward responsible use with an equally open and embracing hand. Parents should become indirect partners to what their children do online. Monitor whatever they do through secretly installed monitoring and control software (“Prevent Cyber bullying”). Parents should borrow and use their children’s devices for simple and routine surveillance. Parent can recommend a responsible adult to follow their children on their social media websites and pages, and simply evaluate their activities. Parents should make their children’s social media and internets use their job to monitor and control. There are still chances that critics will counter this solution by holding that parents cannot stalk their children forever, while also holding that it is unethical to stalk their children’s internet and social media interactions anyway. The position for this argument however, is that monitoring and control can continue until the age of responsibility is attained, where it may become tricky for parents to continue monitoring and controlling their children. However, by then, their children will have developed a culture of caution, if not that of desisting from potentially harmful internet and social media interactions (Ybarra, 255). This way, a win-win situation will have been created by averting the chances of cyber bullies attacking such children, while also protecting against such children turning out to be cyber-bullies. If every parent would do that, then, only the runaway dissidents would be conducting the cyber bullying business, and even then, they would be fewer for the hand of law to target effectively. Works Cited “Bullying, Cyber bullying & Suicide Statistics.” Megan Meier Foundation, 2013. Web. 17 February 2015 < meganmeierfoundation.org> “Cyber Bullying Statistics.” Bullyingstatistics.org, 2013. Web. 17 February 2015 < bullyingstatistics.org> Long, Colleen and Samantha Gross. “Alexis Pilkington Facebook Horror: Cyber Bullies Harass Teen Even After Suicide.” The Huffing ton Post, May 24, 2010. Web. 17 February 2015. < huffingtonpost.com/> “Prevent Cyber bullying.” U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, n.d. Web. 17 February 2015. < stopbullying.gov > Ybarra, Michele L. “Linkages between depressive symptomatology and Internet harassment among young regular Internet users”. Cyberpsychol and Behavior 7, 2 (2004): 247-57.

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