Kern County Network for Children

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Stop Bullying

As an adult, one of best ways you can help stop or prevent bullying is to be educated about, and sensitive to, the issue. For many years, bullying has been treated as a rite of passage - an undesirable, but sometimes unavoidable, reality of growing up. This is far from the truth. Bullying is a serious public health issue that affects countless young people everyday. Further, research shows that the effects of bullying can last well into adulthood. Whether you are a concerned parent, an educator or school employee, a health and safety professional, or someone else who works with children, there are many things you can do to help. First, stop and listen to the affected child. Take complaints of bullying seriously. Second, be responsive. Take the appropriate steps to intervene.

Here are some important things we know about bullying:

What is the definition of bullying?

Bullying is aggressive behavior that is intentional, repeated over time, and involves an imbalance of power or strength. A child who is being bullied has a hard time defending himself or herself.

What does bullying look like? Bullying can take many forms such as:

• Physical bullying, such as hitting or punching;
• Verbal bullying, such as teasing or name-calling;
• Nonverbal or emotional bullying, such as intimidating someone through gestures or social exclusion; and
• Cyber bulling, by sending insulting messages by e-mail.

Who is bullied?

• Studies show that between 15-25% of U.S. students are bullied with some frequency (“sometimes or more often”) while 15-20% report that they bully others with some frequency. (Melton et al, 1998; Nansel et al, 2001)
• Boys are more likely than girls to bully others.

What are the consequences of bullying?

Children and youth who are bullied are more likely than other children to be depressed, lonely, anxious; have low self-esteem, feel unwell, and think about suicide.

How aware of bullying are adults?

• Adults are often unaware of bullying problems. In one study, 70% of teachers believed they intervene "almost always" in bullying situations; only 25% of students agreed with this assessment. (Charach et al, 1995)

There are many signs that a child is being bullied. Some signs to look for:

• The child comes home with torn, damaged, or missing pieces of clothing, books or other belongings;
• The child has unexplained bruises, cuts or scratches;
• The child seems afraid of going to school, walking to and from school, riding the school bus or taking part in organized activities with peers;
• The child appears sad, moody, teary or depressed when he or she comes home;
• The child frequently appears anxious and/or suffers from low self-esteem.

If you suspect your child is being bullied, remember to support your child, inform others and take action.

• First, focus on your child. Be supportive and gather information about the bullying. Tell your child you are concerned about him or her and ask questions.
• Contact your child’s teacher and/or principal. He or she will probably be in the best position to understand the relationships between your child and other peers at school. Ask the teacher to talk to other adults who interact with your child at school to see if they have observed students bullying your child.
• If you know your child is being bullied, take quick action. There is nothing worse than doing nothing, and bullying can have serious effects.

If, after talking with your child and staff at his or her school, you don’t believe your child is being bullied, be alert to other possible problems your child may be having. Share your concerns with a counselor at your child’s school.

Common Characteristics of Children Who Bully

Many children engage in bullying everyday. Although each child is different, those who bully other young people do share some common characteristics. Here are some things to look for:

• Impulsive, hot-headed, dominant;
• Easily frustrated;
• Lack empathy;
• Have difficulty following rules; and
• View violence in a positive way.
• Boys who bully tend to be physically stronger than other children.

There is no single cause of bullying among children. A host of different factors can place a child at risk for bullying his or her peers. However, it has been found that children who bully are more likely than their non-bullying peers to come from homes with certain characteristics.

Family Risk Factors for Bullying

• A lack of warmth and involvement on the part of parents;
• Overly permissive parenting (including a lack of limits for children’s behavior);
• A lack of supervision by parents;
• Harsh, physical discipline; and
• Bullying incidences at home.

Bullying and Other Violent and/or Antisocial Behaviors

Research shows that bullying can be a sign of other serious antisocial and/or violent behavior. Children who frequently bully their peers are more likely than others to:

• Get into frequent fights;
• Be injured in a fight;
• Vandalize or steal property;
• Drink alcohol;
• Smoke;
• Be truant from school;
• Drop out of school; and
• Carry a weapon

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Health Resources and Services Administration, and the Maternal and Child Health Bureau created place for us to go to get the latest scoop on bullying. Without their commitment to reducing and preventing bullying, all this helpful information may not have been so readily available. If you would like more information on bullying please go to their web site at http://stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/index.asp

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