Bullying

Each year millions of children and youth experience the humiliation and devastating effects of bullying.

Bullying damages the physical, social, and emotional well-being of its victims. It also hurts the children who bully, as well as those who watch it happen. In fact, bullying creates a climate of fear, callousness, and disrespect for everyone involved. Bullying begins in the preschool years, peaks in early adolescence, and continues, but with less frequency, into the high school years. But bullying does NOT have to be a part of growing up. Over the past two decades, what we know about bullying—who is involved, where, when, and why it occurs, and the situations that allow it to spread— has increased tremendously. This knowledge has helped researchers develop new and useful strategies that both children and adults can use to intervene effectively and, better yet, prevent bullying before it ever occurs.

Seeing bullying through new eyes…

Bullying can happen anywhere children gather. Yet, with greater understanding of the extent, seriousness, and dynamics of this problem, the amount and consequences of bullying can be greatly reduced. Together with parents, caregivers working in child care programs, afterschool and youth programs, and camps can play crucial roles in bullying prevention. You are on the front lines, likely to see bullying when it occurs and establish the rules needed to prevent it. You are the adults children turn to for help resolving problems or to confide their concerns. You are in a unique position to help them navigate the challenges of their social world. Yet, the issues surrounding bullying can be complex. Knowing how—and when— to intervene requires effective strategies and practice. Eyes on Bullying offers a variety of tools that can help you look at and understand bullying in a new way, reexamine your own knowledge and beliefs about bullying, and shape the beliefs and behaviors of the children in your care. Bullying can happen anywhere children gather. Yet, with greater understanding of the extent, seriousness, and dynamics of this problem, the amount and consequences of bullying can be greatly reduced.

Who Is Involved?

Bullies, Victims, and Bystanders

Bullying involves multiple players. Bullies, victims, and bystanders all play important roles in contributing to bullying—and each can help make bullying stop. Since bullying is primarily learned, it can also be “unlearned”—or conditions can be changed so that it is not learned in the first place. Bullies select and systematically train their victims to comply to their demands. They seek active encouragement, passive acceptance, or silence from bystanders. But, bullies can be stopped when victims and bystanders learn and apply new ways to stand up against bullying. Bullies can also learn how to make friends and get what they want by helping, rather than hurting, others. Victims reward the bully by yielding control and showing signs of intimidation. They often fail to gain support from bystanders and avoid reporting the bullying. But, victims can learn to defeat the bully by responding assertively, rallying support from bystanders, or reporting the bullying to adults. Bystanders play an important and pivotal role in promoting or preventing bullying. Often without realizing it, they may exacerbate a situation by providing an audience, maintaining silence, actively encouraging, or joining in. But, bystanders can neutralize or stop the bullying by aiding the victim, drawing support from other bystanders, or obtaining help from adults.