What Exactly Is Bullying?

Bullying is defined as unwelcome, aggressive behavior among school-aged children in which a real or perceived power imbalance exists. Over time, the conduct is repeated or has the potential to be repeated. Both bullied children and those who bully others may develop major, long-term issues.

Bullying behavior must be aggressive and have the following elements:

• An Unbalance of Power: Bullies utilize their power to control or damage others, such as physical strength, access to embarrassing information, or popularity. Even when the same people are involved, power disparities can shift over time and in different settings.

• Repetition: Bullying behaviors occur multiple times or have the potential to appear numerous times.

Every day, tens of thousands of youngsters fear going to school because of bullying. Bullying is a major issue among youngsters, with serious and long-term implications. Ninety percent of school-aged youngsters in grades 4 through 8 claims to have been bullied. Bullying affects about 20% of youth aged 12 to 18, and with so many technologies at their disposal, bullying occurs more frequently online or over text message than in person. On the administrative side, in the United States, more than 70% of school workers have witnessed bullying. Teen and family services are also available

Bullying victims are more prone to have low self-esteem, despair, physical injuries, and social maladjustment, all of which can endure far longer than the bullying itself. There is a well-established link between bullying and teen and young adult suicide. According to a recent study, bullied persons are considerably more prone to have suicidal thoughts than those who are not tormented; yet, suicidal thoughts affect both victims and bullies. Bullying can make a youngster feel discouraged, isolated, rejected, and hopeless if it continues. Cyberbullying is no exception, and it is a more subtle type of emotional abuse that both the victim and the offender can disguise if they like. Harassment and bullying are linked to 75 percent of school shootings, which are frequently motivated by vengeance

Bullying can take many different forms.

Teasing, mocking, humiliation, threats, or taunts based on a child's racial or sexual identity are all examples of bullying. Bullying can also be violent, such as punching, stealing from, or spitting on someone. On a higher social level, bullying can take the form of gossiping, rumors, threats, and exclusion from groups. This month is National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month, which aims to raise awareness about the seriousness of bullying from a mental health standpoint and encourage individuals to take action against it. This involves creating a nurturing, supportive climate in the classroom where everyone's voice is heard, everyone feels included, and there is an opportunity to be vulnerable. Our curriculum at Maryvale is based on interpersonal learning, discussing issues, and being inclusive. When we notice possible dangers among our children or youth in our after-school program, we are committed to communicating with their families.

Here are a few ways anyone – a child, a parent, a teacher, or anyone else – can interfere in a fight to halt bullying in its tracks:

• Don't retaliate. Bullies are abrasive children who seek a strong response from the person they are targeting. When a victim is subjected to name-calling or verbal abuse, being emotionless denies them the satisfaction they seek. The bully will most likely tire of being harsh, and the victim will grow stronger as a result.

• Tell them to come to a halt. This is especially true when bullying becomes physical. When someone stands up to a bully, they will be astonished. As a bystander or victim, telling the bully that you are not frightened and that you want them to stop is a tried and true approach to stop bullying. Furthermore, it instills trust in the ability to prevent unneeded injury.

• De-escalate the situation. Victims or intervenors can perplex a bully by acting stupid, delivering a joke, or changing the subject. Bringing a lightness to the problem, like ignoring the bully, indicates confidence and a lack of fear — the exact opposite of what a bully wants to see.