Bullying and Violence: An Introduction

“Parents are way overprotective these days; getting picked on by tougher kids and hassling weaker ones is just part of growing up. It’s how they learn to deal with the real world.”

Is it true? Should adults ignore the pecking order of childhood? When are we helping, and when are we ruining our children’s chances of surviving the cold, hard reality of adulthood?

Bullying is a complex social issue. Whether your child is behaving as a bully or feels like a victim—or is simply a bystander while someone else is bullied—it is important to take the situation seriously.

Did You Know?

• Half of public school principals (49%) report that bullying, name-calling, or harassment of students is a serious problem at their school.
• Three-quarters of junior high or middle school principals say that bullying or harassment is a serious problem at their school, compared to 43% of elementary school principals and 45% of senior high school principals.¹

What is bullying, anyway? It can be difficult to recognize bullying behavior, particularly when you aren’t seeing it in person. If you’re not sure, try asking yourself these questions, based on information from the U.S. Department of Education:

• Is it intentional? Bullying does not happen by accident. In many cases, the target does not knowingly provoke the bully. The victim may even have made it clear that the behavior is unwelcome, yet the bully persists.
• Is it repetitive? Typically, bullying is repeatedly carried out over time.
• Does it involve hurtful acts, words, or other behavior? Bullying is an oppressive or negative act intended to hurt someone else. It may include many different types of behavior, including physical harm and verbal abuse.
• Is there an imbalance of power? A child without power cannot bully. A bully’s power can come from physical strength, social status, or intimidating behavior.

If you’ve answered yes to at least one of these questions, you may be looking at a case of bullying. Talk to another adult, such as a teacher, playground supervisor, or school counselor, about the situation.