Problems of Well-being

Bullying

By: Billie Donaghy

What is bullying?

I’m sure everyone has a good understanding of what bullying is because there’s a good chance that you’ve witnessed someone being bullied around you. Bullying happens when someone tries to antagonize another either physically, emotionally or through the internet. The four most common types of bullying are;

Physical: This type basically involves the use of a physical force. For example, a fist, spitting, kicking or weapon.

Verbal: This type incorporates the use of words to carry out an act of bullying. For example, name calling or talking about someone in a poor way.

Emotional: The act of an aggressor attacking a victim on an emotional level. For example, spreading rumors.

Cyber: Can be described as any form of bullying that incorporates the use of technology.

The issue

• Bullying has been a huge issue all over the world for hundreds of years but in the last 10 years it has increased 10 fold because of the anonymity through the internet. Bullying has deleterious effects on schools as safe learning environments and has been linked to a number of undesirable outcomes, including delinquency, drug and alcohol abuse, and psychosocial illness; such as low self-esteem, social withdrawal, anxiety, insecurity, patterns of aggressive reaction (CCL, 2013)

Bullying in Canada

Canadian bullying statistics:

Canada has the 9th highest rate of bullying in the 13-years-olds category on a scale of 35 countries

47% of Canadian parents report having a child victim of bullying

Girls are more likely to be bullied on the Internet than boys

The most common form of cyber-bullying involved receiving threatening or aggressive e-mails or instant messages, reported by 73% of victims

40% of Canadian workers experience bullying on a weekly basis

Bullying in Canada continued

• At least 1 in 3 adolescent students in Canada have reported being bullied recently

• Among adult Canadians, 38% of males and 30% of females reported having experienced occasional or frequent bullying during their school years

• The rate of discrimination experienced among students who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans-identified are three times higher than heterosexual youth

• Any participation in bullying increases risk of suicidal ideas in youth

Real life bullying example

Amanda Todd is a perfect example of bullying. The 15 year old committed suicide last November after being tortured online and beaten at school in Vancouver. Todd posted a nine-minute video on Youtube of her holding up cue cards that explained the cyber-bullying and cruelty she suffered. Also, right before she killed herself she created a power point on how to deal with being bullied. It’s so sad that someone so young had to go through all that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOHXGNx-E7E

More adolescents that took their lives due to bullying

13 year old, Morgan Musson, took her life because of being bullied over being 6ft tall. Morgan was bullied for 7 months so she decided to take several painkillers to take away her misery.

15 year old, Todd Loik took his life because he was being harassed over text messages. He would receive pages and pages of threats and taunts a night.

15 year old, Jamie Hubley committed suicide because he was constantly made fun of because he was openly gay. Right before he killed himself, he made a blog about his love and respect for lady gaga for being one of the only people that understood him.

This is really happening and it’s so upsetting because their only kids. They don’t know how to deal with the pain and heartache.

Too young, so sad- you’re all missed

Todd

Jamie

Morgan

Recent News

• In October 2013, eight teenage girls were arrested in a high school in London, Ontario for physically, emotionally and cyber bulling this one girl. Finally the school is standing up and doing something serious about it. The principal Bill Tucker stated: “'If we can change behaviours about drinking and driving, if we change behaviours and attitudes around smoking, why can we not change behaviours and attitudes around bullying”. Police say that the arrested girls face charges of criminal harassment. They need to keep pledging and keep taking a stand.

Is technology making bullying worse?

Advances in technology have greatly influenced the way young people live their lives. Back in the 1970’s people had to physically call someone through a wire now we can message our friends through a screen, a mobile or a text message. A majority of teenagers use Facebook, Bbm, Instagram, twitter, etc and post most of their information and pictures. It’s giving bullies access to comment on your life. I don’t understand this social media stuff that most teenagers are obsessed with, I’d rather people wonder what I’m doing instead of follow it.

Facts on Cyberbullying in Canada

A 2010 research project, “Cyber Bullying Behaviors Among Middle and High School Students,” studied 33 Toronto junior high and high schools and reported that 49.5% of students surveyed had been bullied online. In all three of these studies, a majority of participants report that they did not tell anyone about the bullying (Faye, 2010).

In the Nova Scotia Cyberbullying Task Force Online Survey (2011), 75% of respondents said they believe bullying is a problem in Nova Scotia, and 60% of Nova Scotia student respondents indicate that they have been bullied (Wayne, 2012).

Over 80% of teens use a cell phone regularly, making it the most common medium for cyber bullying.

81% of young people think bullying online is easier to get away with than bullying in person.

Kids who are bullied

• Kids who are bullied can experience negative physical, school, and mental health issues. Kids who are bullied are more likely to experience: depression, decreased grades and anxiety. They’ll start to feel sad and lonely a lot. Also, there sleeping patterns will begin to change and they probably won’t be interested in the stuff they used to like.

• A very small number of bullied children might retaliate through extremely violent measures. In 12 of 15 school shooting cases in the 1990s, the shooters had a history of being bullied (U.S Department of Health, 2012).

Words hurt

“A tongue has no bones but it’s already strong enough to break a heart, so watch your words”

Facts

Girls who bully are most likely to do it over the internet and emotionally where boys who bully often do it in both physically and emotionally. For example, a girl may gossip and put you down about how you dress, how you look, your size etc or form a group and exclude you where boys may shove another guy and call him names. However, both boys and girls take part in cyber bullying.

Incident reports in Canada

Types of bullying reported

What can be done?

It’s so important for the Canadian youth to play an important role in creating positive social change. If you see or hear about someone being bullied, tell someone and make a change. Bullying affects not only the person suffering but also the friends and families of the loved one. There is such a high suicide rate for young teens being bullied and sometimes it’s too late for the parents or friends to do anything to stop it. Stand up and help save a life.

References

Wayne MacKay C.M., Q.C. “Respectful and Responsible Relationships: There’s No App for That”  The Report of the Nova Scotia Task Force on Bullying and Cyberbullying (2012).

Faye Mishna et al, “Cyber Bullying Behaviors Among Middle and High School Students,”  American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 80, no. 3 (2010):  362–374.

Ministry of Ontario Education (2013). Retrieved from:http://www.stopabully.ca/bullying-resources/bullying-statistics

Statistics, Canada. (2013). Retrieved from: http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/45838.html

U.S Department of Health (2012). Retrieved from: http://www.stopbullying.gov/at-risk/effects/