Making A Difference...
One Life at a Time
BMV News Release
Sign the Petition
Instructions for
Completed Petition
Click to enlarge
|
Bullying and Harassment Information for Teens
What is it?
Bullying is when one person hurts or threatens someone else physically, verbally, or in writing. The bully may choose a victim who is smaller or younger than they are, or who is from a different race or culture, or they may pick on someone who is different in some other way. The bullying might happen once or over and over again. Bullying can include pushing, shoving, kicking, hitting, teasing, or writing mean or threatening notes.
If the bullying or harassment gets so bad that it physically harms you or your property, makes you feel intimidated or afraid to go to school, or causes disruptions at school, it is probably against school rules and may also be against the law. Check with an adult in your school to find out more.
Assault and theft are always against the law. So if a bully physically attacks you or steals something from you, you can report this to the police. If an assault or attack takes place at school or on a school bus, you can also report it to the principal, and the school should take action to confront and/or discipline the bully.
Anyone can be a bully. Girls and boys tend to bully in different ways though. Boys are usually more physical when they bully - shoving, pushing, and hitting. Girls, on the other hand, tend to use words more than physical force. Girls often bully by spreading rumors, taking part in gossip, or threatening someone.
If you are a victim of bullying, you might...
- Feel angry, sad, lonely or depressed.
- Feel like you have no friends.
- Find that you are always getting into fights.
- Want to hurt someone else or yourself.
- Feel like taking steps to defend yourself.
- Feel helpless to stop the bullying.
- Feel hopeless that anything can be done.
- Be afraid to go to school, or feel anxious all the time.
- Feel bad about yourself.
You're not alone
- 1 in 12 students who stay home from school do so because they are afraid to go to school.
- 3 out of 4 students report that they have been bullied at some time while they were in school.
- Bullying is reported as most severe in grades 7-9, with grades 4-6 being next in severity, but it can happen in any grade.
- 60 percent of victims/targets report being bullied by boys, and 40 percent report being bullied by girls.
Get help
Being bullied is not your fault, and it is wrong. Nothing you say, the way you look, or what you believe in gives anyone else the right to make fun of you or hurt you.
- Tell your parents, and talk with them about ways that they can help you to be safe.
- Tell a teacher, counselor, or your school's principal. They can take action to stop the bullying.
- Most schools are required to have a policy on dealing with bullying. If you feel that nobody in your school is helping you, see if you can find out what the policy is and talk with the principal about how the policy applies to your case.
- If there is no policy in your school, talk with friends, a teacher, or the principal about creating one.
Help yourself
- Try to walk away from the bullies.
- Sit near the bus driver on the school bus.
- Take different routes to and from school. See if you can get a friend or two to walk with you.
- Do not bring lots of money or expensive things to school.
- Try to stay in areas where other students and teachers are around.
- Try not to be in a bathroom or locker room by yourself.
Help someone else
If you see bullying happening in your school, you can help put a stop to it.
- Refuse to join in if a bully tries to get you to tease someone.
- Get a teacher, parent, or another adult to come help. You won't be snitching; you'll be taking a stand against bullying.
- Talk to the person being bullied and try to get them to talk to an adult. Offer to go with them.
- Report the bullying to an adult you trust.
This info found on the ‘The National Center For Victims Of Crime’ website.
Bullying statistics for students, teachers & parents
How widespread is violence in our schools?
- The U.S. Department of Education estimates that each year, three million thefts and violent crimes occur in or near schools: an average of 16,000 incidents per school day. Harvard School of Public Health
- In a 1994 survey of 700 communities, 80% of respondents said that violence was a serious problem in classrooms, hallways, and playgrounds.National School Safety Center
- In a nationwide 1993 survey of 720 school districts, 82% reported an increase in violence in their school over the past five years. Harvard School of Public Health
- In a 1993 survey of students in grades 6-12, 79% said that violence was caused by "stupid things like bumping into someone." Other causes of violence included: boyfriend-girlfriend disputes, outsiders, racism, and gangs. National School Safety Center
What's the risk of being bullied at school?
- Bullying begins in elementary school, peaks in middle school, and falls off in high school. It does not, however, disappear altogether. The Facts about Bullying, 1997
- 61.6% of students who are bullied are picked on because of their looks or speech. U.S. News & World Report, May 7, 2001
- Of the students who are bullied, 55.6% report being hit, slapped, or pushed. U.S. News & World Report, May 7, 2001
- In a 1994 survey, it was reported that 22% of all teenage students had been in a fight in the past year. National School Safety Center
- 34% of those physically fighting were boys while only 11% were girls. Harvard School of Public Health.
How do students react to bullying?
- Up to 7% of eighth grade students stay home at least once a month because of bullies. Bully Beware
- In a 1993 survey of students grades 6-12, 50% knew someone who switched schools to feel safer. National School Safety Center
- More than 43% of middle school and high school students avoid using school bathrooms for fear of being harassed or assaulted. Mothering, May/June 2001
- One in fifteen students said they avoided certain places at school because they feared being attacked. Harvard School of Public Health
- Only 25% of students report that teachers intervene in bullying situations, while 71% of teachers believe they always intervene. Bully Beware
- When asked, students uniformly expressed the desire that teachers intervene rather than ignore teasing and bullying. Maine Project Against Bullying
- By age 24, 60% of identified bullies have a criminal conviction. Bully Beware
Web Resources for Students
These are good Websites to go to if you are being bullied and you want help or if you think you might sometimes be a bully and you want to know what you can do to help yourself.
Bullying.org: Excellent resources to see, read, and hear the impact bullying has had on people lives. Read personal testimonies, hear songs, watch videos, and read poems about bullying.
Stop the Hate: Find out how other students have successfully stopped violent hate crimes in their communities.
Youth Crime Watch of America: Access to information about violence and crime prevention, bus safety, and conflict resolution. Learn how to start a chapter in your area.
No Bully: Information about what bullying is, how to tell if you are a bully and why people are bullied.
Bully Survival Guide: Provides information on how to deal with bullying; includes celebrity stories and facts about bullying
Teasing Victims: A Website dedicated to helping youth who are constantly teased. Sections include: "how to stop being teased and bullied without trying," "have more friends," and "Columbine made simple."
Kidscape: This United Kingdom Website gives information about who gets bullied, what a victim can do and who a victim of bullying can turn to for help.
Web Resources for Teachers & Parents
Indiana Youth Institute: Links to the Virginia Beale Ball Library, a great library in Indianapolis with excellent resource information on bullying, violence, and many other issues related to youth.
Keep Schools Safe: Website dedicated to helping parents, teachers and school administrators, law enforcement officers, and students in their efforts to keep schools safe.
Mothers Against Teen Violence: Includes warning signs for violence and information on starting a local chapter of MATV.
National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center: Information on youth violence, youth at risk, youth suicide, gangs, and firearm violence: good source for statistics.
Stop the Hate: Dedicated to helping students, educators, police and the community stop hate crimes and violence. This site is also a good connection to other communities about activities in their area.
Bullying.org: An excellent resource to see, read, and hear the impact that bullying has had on people's lives. Read personal testimonials, hear songs, watch videos, or read poems.
Educational Resource Information Center (ERIC): Information for parents and teachers about many educational issues.
Take Action Against Bullying: Information about bullying from recent articles.
Stop Bullying Now: This site takes the position that bullying is not a normal part of growing up: view letters from students.
1Bully Online: Information for parents and teachers about child and school bullying. This site includes link to legal cases with child bullying emphasis.
Teasing Victims: Provides an online "Revolutionary Manual for Handling Kids' Aggression" and "Columbine Made Simple." Site includes areas for parents and teachers.
Kidscape: Gives information about what bullying is, signs of bullying, and what an adult can do to help a child. Site provides insight for parents, teachers, and kids.
Information and statistics compiled by Krystin Washington, INROADS Intern, Summer 2001, for the Community Education Department, Riley Hospital for Children, Indianapolis, Indiana, 317-274-2964
Additional Web Resources
You may also like to check out the following books:
|
