BULLYING
Student Name
Institution Name
Bullying
In the current world, almost everyone is or has been a victim of bullying. As most of people would associate bullying with students only, it is something that goes on not only in schools but also outside schools. By outside schools, I mean that in homes, estates and even upcountry, this vice could be witnessed. What it takes is just someone who feels more superior and stronger and somebody who looks weak thus feels inferior. Once the two circumstances occur, then bullying would take place regardless of where it occurs. With that in mind, this paper seeks to talk about bullying in general. It would then be narrowed down to bullying in schools with specific reference to why it happens and what consequences bullying has.
Bullying In General
Bullying has been established to be some kind of an abuse. This abuse takes place where some individuals or groups decide to impose power on others who, on their own will, would not agree to such orders or treatment. It has been noted that there has to be some form of an imbalance either in power, physique or anything else that would make someone intimidated (Zirkel, 2013). As such, bullying could be physical, through words or emotionally inflicted. In some scenarios, the bully could even have more people to take and execute his or her orders. In this case, it would be called complex bullying. As said earlier, it could happen either in schools or at work whereby in the later case, people who are at the peak in ranks could manipulate those under their ranks. Further, bullying could be extend from just individuals to countries whereby, for instance, countries with for instance economic power could bully those with less power into taking orders from them. It would also be assumable that the various forms of bullying were the main causes of the First and Second World Wars.
Bullying In Schools
Bullying is a wider problem experienced in both private and in the public schools. It has negative impacts on students as well as to the school environment. The students’ rights are violated by other students, and this makes them feel insecure. Most of them are unable to report these instances to their teachers because of victimization that they will undergo in the hands of those oppressing them. It has long-term negative effects on student performance, emotional and physical behaviors. According to Jungert and Thornberg, (2016) it is the action of being harassed by one or more students. He argued that the primary focus of those bullying others is to gain powers over those oppressed.
There are several ways of bullying: physical bullying (include spitting, kicking, pushing and stealing), psychological (include rumors, intimidation, exclusion from groups and relationships), verbal (include calling other funny names, taunting and malicious teasing). There are mainly two components that are common in bullying: psychological and imbalance of power. It was observed that bullying is not common among students with the same age, (Vidourek et.al, 2016). Older students tend to harass those young than their age group. The main goal that drives them is to get power and be obeyed. The psychological impact possesses by those intimidated is for the long term. They feel insecure of their rights.
Facts about Bullying
Studies reveal that more than 30% of students in upper classes grades 6-8 are victims and perpetrators of these actions (Saarento & Salmivalli., 2015). It is also revealed that 6 students who carry out this action against other students have been at one time bullied (Saarento et al, 2015). Additionally, the research revealed that 8% of the students were being harassed weekly. It is evident that this kind harassment tends to increase relatively in all levels of grades. Verbal abuse is the most common practice, followed by derogatory abuse and social isolation. This action is most common in the middle grades; it involves physical harassment, theft, sexual, public humiliation, and teasing. Ha and Sim, (2016) observed that it is common in areas which are less monitored by teachers.
Both genders are involved in bullying. However, research indicates that boys are major victims and bullies. It has also been revealed that there is no level of significance between boys and girls in bullying. Further it has been indicated that 8% of boys and 7% of girls are both victims of bullies and bullies (Ha & Sim, 2016). It is observed that boys are involved in a more aggressive way of bullying than girls. Additionally, they assert that boys tend to bully both genders while girls bully fellow girls (Zirkel, 2013).
It was evident that those students who bully other students are not popular in school. They experience many challenges involving crime and also perform poorly in classes. According to Zirkel,(2013), it is indicated that these students are likely to involve themselves in vandalism, fighting and drug abuse. There is also a strong correlation between those people arrested and their characters while at school. According to Jia et.al (2016) in convictions carried out, most students arrested were in the middle-class 6-9. It also identified that 10% of boys were not bullied while 40% of boys were bullied though others laid a low profile.
Bullying behaviors normally begin at home and at school. While at home need to be observed keenly by their parents. Kim, (2015) observed that good relationship between parent and their children is healthy, it shapes the child’s behaviors. At school, it is more influenced by peer pressure. Hart, & Miethe, (2013) argue that those students who are in the same social groups tend to adopt those behaviors. The kind of punishment that one gets at home determines their behavior both at home and school. Vidourek et al., (2016) observed that those children who were canned at home and thrown at with weapons are victims of bullies.
Characteristics of Bullies
The research reveals that bullies target that student who is weak. They often see them as their soft landing. The victims fear to walk alone in a school compound; they spend most of their time around their teachers or other students (Saarento et.al. 2015). Studies also indicate that bully students receive much protection from their parents. Parents tend to protect their children in school whenever they are called upon by the school administration over their child’s behavior.
The physical appearance of the student does not relate to his/her behaviors (Zirkel, 2013). The only thing that is associated with bullies is the student emotion and the physical strength. Those students who are muscular tend to harass those that are weak (Hart, & Miethe, 2013). Differences in classes also play a significant role; students in the upper classes tend to harass those in lower classes.
Conclusion
Bullying occurs in training institutions and also in the workplaces. A person becomes a victim of bullying when they are considered inferior thus victimized. The forms of bullying comprises of physical harassments, sexual harassments, public humiliation and teasing. It has an implication of reducing an individuals’ self esteem. Therefore, the school administration and the parents need to work hand in hand to improve behaviors in school. The school needs to adopt strict rules and regulations governing students. Those found bullying others should face the consequences of their wrongdoing. Education departments need also to set up rules that every school and parents must adhere to. Schools need to run different programs and training that can make all students feel comfortable while at school.
Reference Lists
Ha, J. Y., & Sim, B. Y. (2016). Needs Analysis of Posttraumatic Growth Program for College Student of School Bullying.
This talks about what students have gone through as victims of bullying and what would be the solution of their experiences. It further suggests a specific program for the achievement of the best solutions.
Hart, T. C., Hart, J. L., & Miethe, T. D. (2013). Situational context of student bullying victimization and reporting behavior: a conjunctive analysis of case configurations. Justice Research and Policy, 15(2), 43-73.
This study highlights the various ways through which bullying happens. It also explains the different situations that bring about bullying and establishes that bullying is not a static issue but a changing issue that grows based on different generations and times.
Jia, Y., Konold, T. R., Cornell, D., & Huang, F. (2016). The Impact of Validity Screening on Associations Between Self-Reports of Bullying Victimization and Student Outcomes. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 0013164416671767.
This research seeks to study students behavior and help in coming up with better analysis of their behavior and how it relates to academic matters.
Jungert, T., Piroddi, B., & Thornberg, R. (2016). Early adolescents’ motivations to defend victims in school bullying and their perceptions of student–teacher relationships: A self-determination theory approach. Journal of Adolescence, 53, 75-90
The findings of this study indicate that with or without rules against bullying, students thought that continuous bullying was morally wrong. It talks about how various students were against all time bullying but were not offended by mere first time stubbornness.
Kim, S. J. (2015). Elementary Principal Perceptions of Teacher to Student Bullying Within Classroom Management Practices (Doctoral dissertation, University of Southern California).
This study talks about bullying by teachers to students. It highlights the instances of such bullying and the reasons for the bullying. It finally establishes that the students so bullied by teachers are most probably left without any support for the experience.
Saarento, S., & Salmivalli, C. (2015). The role of classroom peer ecology and bystanders’ responses in bullying. Child Development Perspectives, 9(4), 201-205.
This study discusses bullying in classrooms and groups from a classroom. It also talks about how bullying could be either stopped or made to continue by those watching such kind of bullying against members of the same class.
Saarento, S., Boulton, A. J., & Salmivalli, C. (2015). Reducing bullying and victimization: Student-and classroom-level mechanisms of change. Journal of abnormal child psychology, 43(1), 61-76.
This study analyses how the role played by others reduces bullying. It highlights how both students and the classroom could impact on bullying.
Vidourek, R. A., King, K. A., & Merianos, A. L. (2016). School bullying and student trauma: Fear and avoidance associated with victimization. Journal of prevention & intervention in the community, 44(2), 121-129.
The book looks into effects of bullying. It also analyses data on those who were bullied and those who were not. It further establishes that different victims report being bullied differently. Lastly, it highlights that those who were not bullied would most probably not report the bullying done to others.
Zirkel, P. A. (2013). Public school student bullying and suicidal behaviors: A fatal combination. JL & Educ., 42, 633.
In this study, the author talks about the causes and consequences of bullying and how they come about. The author further identifies the role played by the media et al in increasing suicide cases by those bullied. Lastly, it talks about how bullying leads to suicidal cases.
