| Children from abusive homes can indeed go on | | | | - a different ethnicity |
| to bully--bullying is a sign of abuse--but | | | | |
| not all abused children become bullies and | | | | - gender/sexual orientation is seen as |
| not all bullies come from abusive homes. | | | | deserving of contempt or inferiorSTAT: |
| There are other factors that can determine | | | | According to Egan (2000), 1 in 6 gay teens is |
| whether or not a child will go on to bully:- | | | | beaten so badly during adolescence that he |
| the child's temperament | | | | requires medical attention.- religious |
| | | | beliefs are considered deserving of contempt |
| - lack of supervision (NOTE: bullies require | | | | or inferior |
| constant supervision) | | | | |
| | | | - a child who is bright, talented, gifted |
| - the social climate at schoolOn average, | | | | |
| children and youth spend about 6 hours a day | | | | - a child who does not conform to what is |
| in school. It is the only place that children | | | | considered the "norm" |
| are brought together in large numbers for | | | | |
| extended periods of time on a regular basis. | | | | - a child who is unusually fat, thin, short, |
| Within the society of school, children and | | | | tallSTAT: According to Pepler & Craig (1997), |
| youth try to fit in, often by joining in peer | | | | young girls were more afraid of becoming fat |
| group circles and cliques. This society | | | | than they were of nuclear war, cancer or |
| within a society makes schools highly | | | | losing their parents.- a child who wears |
| susceptible to bullying.According to the | | | | braces or glasses |
| British Columbia Ministry of Education | | | | |
| (2000), most bullying happens in or close to | | | | - has acne or any other visible skin |
| the school building. Some statistics reflect | | | | condition |
| that more than 90% of bullying occurs either | | | | |
| in the school or on the school | | | | - has a physical or developmental/mental |
| playground.Bullying and harassment have | | | | disability |
| historically and traditionally been | | | | |
| considered rites of passage, something all | | | | - just being at the wrong place at the wrong |
| children and youth must go through as part of | | | | timeANYONE can be a target for bullying; and |
| the growing up process. This is a myth.In the | | | | boys and girls are equally likely to be |
| past 20 years or so, bullying and harassment | | | | victims.There are school administrators who |
| have received international attention, due in | | | | believe that their school does not have a |
| part to children and youth who commit suicide | | | | bullying problem. This is another myth. ALL |
| as a result of being a victim of relentless | | | | schools have bullying problems. Perhaps |
| bullying and their inability to cope. There | | | | liability issues enter into the mix, or |
| have been enough incidents' of children | | | | perhaps they really do believe the claim. The |
| committing suicide because of incessant | | | | following statistics dispell that claim:STAT: |
| bullying that a phrase has been coined for | | | | An international study done for Health Canada |
| it: bullycide.Canada, in fact, just the | | | | in 1999 reflected that 56% of boys and 40% of |
| province of British Columbia, the province in | | | | girls in grades 6 and 8 had bullied someone |
| which I reside, has its share of | | | | that year.STAT: In that same 1999 |
| internationally-known bullying | | | | international study, 43% of boys and 35% of |
| victims:November 2000, in Mission, British | | | | girls said they had been bullied in that |
| Columbia: Dawn Marie Wesley, 14 years old, | | | | year.STAT:According to Pepler & Craig (2000), |
| hanged herself in her bedroom with her dog's | | | | 71% of teachers said they usually intervene |
| leash. In her suicide note, she named 3 girls | | | | in bullying episodes; 25% of students said |
| at school who had tormented and threatened | | | | teachers intervene.This last statistic tells |
| her.March 2000, Surrey, British Columbia: | | | | us that teachers are unaware of just how much |
| Hamed Nastoh, 14 years old, leapt off the | | | | bullying is going on in schools. If teachers |
| Patullo Bridge after he left a 5-page suicide | | | | are unaware of the problem, they are not in a |
| note that detailed the relentless bullying he | | | | position to intervene. Without intervention, |
| endured.November 1997, Victoria, British | | | | bullies will not cease their violent |
| Columbia: Rena Virk, 14 years old, was | | | | behaviour. Left unchecked, as the bully gets |
| bullied, attacked and beaten unconscious by 7 | | | | older, the bullying behaviour escalates to |
| girls and 1 boy--all schoolmates--and then | | | | harassment.For more on harassment, check out |
| brutally murdered. What was particularly | | | | my article titled Bullying vs. Harassment.To |
| startling in this case was the fact that | | | | summarize, children from abusive homes |
| hundreds of students knew about the cruel and | | | | sometimes exhibit bullying behaviours. These |
| relentless taunting, and even of Rena's death | | | | children are either lashing out, or they are |
| before someone finally reported her death to | | | | trying to gain control of the people around |
| the police.April 1997, Nanaimo, British | | | | them because they have no control otherwise. |
| Columbia: A grade-4 student pulled a knife on | | | | But child abuse is not the only governing |
| another student who was taunting him. He'd | | | | factor here. A child's disposition, a lack of |
| been dealing with torment by his peers for | | | | supervision and guidance, and the school |
| over a year. After the knife incident, the | | | | environment also play a role.Yes, child abuse |
| boy and his family were ordered to take an | | | | can lead to bullying, but bullying isn't |
| anger management course. The school took no | | | | always the result of child abuse.RESOURCES: |
| immediate action with the children who | | | | is a site that details the four types of |
| bullied him.How prevalent is bullying and | | | | child abuse (emotional, physical, sexual, and |
| harassment in Canada?1 in 5 children is | | | | neglect); signs, effects and statistics for |
| bullied; 1 in 12 youth are regularly harassed | | | | each; sexual abuse victims, including victims |
| in school by other students (Gladue, | | | | with disabilities; sex offenders, including |
| 1999).Risk factors for bullying:- | | | | female, child, adolescent, and Internet |
| submissiveness | | | | offenders; laws governing child abuse; |
| | | | intervention; prevention; plus a forum to |
| - shy, reserved, quiet, sensitive | | | | write your own child abuse story.RELATED |
| | | | PAGES AND ARTICLES: titled: Bullying vs. |
| - the youngest or smallest | | | | HarassmentDarlene Barriere's On My Own Terms, |
| | | | A Memoir, a book about surviving the effects |
| - a child unwilling to fight | | | | of child abuse, is now available for download |
| | | | in PDF e-book format at have permission to |
| - a child who wears clothes that are | | | | publish this article electronically or in |
| considered unfashionable | | | | print, free of charge, as long as all bylines |
| | | | and live hyperlinks are included.- 30 |
| - a child who exhibits annoying behaviours | | | | -Darlene Barriere Copyright 2006Darlene |
| | | | Barriere is a certified violence and abuse |
| - a child who expresses emotions quickly | | | | prevention educator with the Canadian Red |
| | | | Cross. She conducts workshops with youth and |
| - being the new kid on the block | | | | adults on the subject of child abuse, |
| | | | bullying and harassment, violence in sports, |
| - a child who has been previously | | | | and relationship violence. She has written a |
| traumatized | | | | book detailing how she overcame the |
| | | | devastating effects of child abuse (for |
| - being rich or poor | | | | download site, see under Related Pages). |
| | | | |