By Julia Smith, General Member
Bullying is a term that everyone is familiar with in one way or another, and often begin to understand what it is in primary school. Bullying refers to aggressive and reported behaviour by a person or group where the behaviour exhibited towards a party causes harm, fear or distress. Bullying can range from psychological, social or physical damage as well as the intent to harm another individual, group or property. Often, Bullying occurs when there is a natural or perceived power imbalance, such as size, strength, age, economic status, religion, ethnic origin, gender, or gender expression, to name a few.
The four “main” classifications for Bullying are as follows;
Physically, this can include but is not limited to hitting, shoving, stealing, or damaging someone’s property.
Electronic, more commonly known as cyberbullying, is when an individual spreads rumours and hurtful comments online through the use of e-mail, text messaging and social networking sites. Cyberbullying is on the rise, with 42% of Canadian youth reporting being cyberbullied.
Verbal Bullying can include name-calling, mocking, or making sexist, racist or homophobic comments in front of the person or behind the person's back. 40% of Canadian workers have experienced Bullying in the workplace.
Social Bullying is very sneaky because it is not overt, and it means excluding others from a group or spreading gossip or rumours about them. Only 10% of bullying incidents in schools are reported to authorities.
Everyone has the right to feel safe, accepted and valued. It is essential to make our school communities, community centers, universities, and colleges better places by being respectful of others and standing up against Bullying whenever it happens
What to do if you are being bullied.
When you are being bullied, it is very important to try to stay as calm as possible and not to show that you are upset, as often bullies are just looking for a reaction. You could try humour and be assertive, not aggressive, to name a few strategies. It can be challenging to stand up for yourself sometimes; you might feel intimidated, surprised or even scared. You are not alone in this feeling, as 64% of children who were bullied did not report it to an adult. Yet, the best thing you can do is ignore the bullying and, walk away and speak to someone who can help you, perhaps an older student, a teacher, a counsellor, a coach, a parent guardian, or a trusted adult. It is also an excellent strategy to tell multiple people; the more people you tell, the more they will know about the incident and help keep you safe. If you’re scared to talk to an adult alone, ask a friend to accompany you.
What if you are the bully and are ready to stop Bullying?
First of all, congratulations; this is an amazing first step. It is essential to talk to someone who can help, an older student, your friends, or an adult you trust, as they can help you find ways to get along with others. Set goals daily to make it easier not to bully; a plan could be as simple as helping others rather than hurting them. Learn to accept people's differences. It's okay not to like everyone around you, but that doesn't mean you need to disrespect them. Appreciate people for their differences, and try to put yourself in other people's shoes. Once you do this, you will see that you would not want to be picked on, punched, ignored or left out.
You could also try to make amends and, if you are brave enough, right some past wrongs by apologizing to people you have bullied. It doesn't mean they will like you or be your friends, but it is an excellent first step to moving forward in the right direction.
What should you do if you see someone else being a bully?
It can be challenging to watch those around you being bullied, and knowing what to do in this situation is not always obvious, but seeking help is always the way to go. It's not always a good idea to intervene but you must seek help as quickly as possible, If you are in the schoolyard, find a trusted adult immediately. It is essential to know that telling someone what is happening is not tattling; you protect others. It is necessary to help stand up for people who are being bullied and to snuff out the bullies so they learn that their behaviour is not okay.
Stand up for those who are bullied. They need your help!
Check out this helpful website for information on Bullying.
Preventing Bullying: www.prevnet.ca
Statistics about Bullying in Canada https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/bullying.html
Cyber Bullying: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-safety-canada/campaigns/cyberbullying/cyberbullying-against-law.html