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If
you or someone you know has a mental illness and you don't know where
to turn, please call us at (614) 221-1441. |
Children's
Mental Health
Bullying and What To Do About It
Although itŐs always been around, bullying should never be accepted as
normal behavior. The feelings experienced by victims of bullying are painful
and lasting. Bullies, if not stopped, can progress to more serious, antisocial
behavior. Recent incidents of school violence show that bullying can have
tragic consequences for individuals, families, schools, and entire communities.
Recognize It (for
what it is)
Bullying is
aggressive behavior. A child is targeted by one or more youths with repeated
negative actions over a period of time. These are intentional attempts
to cause discomfort or injury and can include name-calling, making faces,
obscene gesturing, malicious teasing, threats, rumors, physical hitting,
kicking, pushing, and choking. More subtle is simply excluding a child
from the group. Generally, bullying occurs when thereŐs an imbalance of
power favoring the bully. Victims usually feel they donŐt have the strength
to defend themselves. Make no mistake; bullying is a form of violence
that shouldnŐt be tolerated.
See the Scope of the Problem
- The Journal of the American Medical Association recently reported that one-third of U.S. students experience bullying, either as a target or a perpetrator.
- A high level of parents (47%) and teachers (77%) report children victimized by bullies. (1)
- Bullying and violence cause 160,000 fearful children to miss one or more school days each month. (2)
- Only a small percentage of children believe that telling adults will help. Children generally feel that adult intervention is ineffective and will only bring more harassment. (3)
Spot the Bullies
- They are both boys and girls. Boys bully more often and more physically than girls. Girls are more likely to use rejection and slander.
- Bullies usually pick on others out of frustration with their own lives. They target other children because they need a victim who is weaker than them. While they may feel uneasy about it, many children tease their peers simply to go along with the crowd.
- Bullies sometimes suffer from depression.(4) They are often from homes where harsh punishment and inconsistent discipline are used.(5) Sixty percent of male bullies will be arrested by age 24.(6)
Know Their Targets
- Girls and boys alike are targeted.
- Those who are
physically different in race, body size, or clothing.
- Those with disabilities
or those who are dealing with sexual orientation issues. Both groups
are kids who are typically anxious, insecure, and suffering from low
self-esteem. This makes them good targets.
- There are few differences among racial and ethnic groups in the numbers of students being bullied. White and black students are more likely to report it than others.(7)
(1) National Parent
Teachers Association, 2001
(2) National
Education Association, 1993
(3) Charach, Pepler & Ziegler, 1995
(4) Pollock,
2002
(5) Batche and Knoff, 1994
(6) Olweus,
1993
(7) National Center for Education Statistics, 2001
About Us
The Mental
Health Association of Franklin County is a private, not-for-profit organization
established in 1956 to provide mental health education and consumer support
services for the residents of Franklin County. We are the only agency
in Franklin County whose broad mission is to educate the public about
mental health and mental illness. We provide information and referral
to community mental health services, support groups for families and persons
with mental illness, community and professional education, advocacy for
people receiving mental health or alcohol/drug treatment, a newsletter
for first-time parents, and media outreach among other services. We also
act as a clearinghouse for information on mental health topics. We receive
funding from the United Way of Central Ohio and the Franklin County ADAMH
Board. You can also visit us online at www.mhafc.org
