BULLYING: Mitigation & Response

1
BULLYING Mitigation Response

• Presented By
• The Mississippi Department of Education
• Division of School Safety

2
SO WHAT IS BULLYING?

• Punching, shoving, and other acts that hurt
  people physically.
• Attempting to physically or mentally intimidate
  others.
• Spreading bad rumors about people.
• Keeping certain people out of a group.
• Teasing people in a mean way.
• Getting certain people to gang up on others.

3
What IS CYBER BULLYING?

• Definition
• Bullying on-line or electronically, using the
  Internet, mobile phones, or other technology.
• This includes Sending mean text, e-mail, or
  instant messages.
• Posting nasty pictures or messages about others
  on blog sites My Space / Face Book
• Using someone elses user name to spread rumors
  or lies about someone.

4
DO YOU BULLY OTHERS?

• Truth Time have you?
• Shoved, punched, or pushed someone in a mean way
  just because you felt like it?
• Had someone else hurt someone you dont like?
• Spread a nasty rumor about someone?
• You and your friends have kept someone from
  playing with you?
• Teased people in a mean way, calling them names,
  making fun of the way they look or dress?
• Been part of a group that did these things?
• Mentally or physically intimidated others?

5
EFFECTS OF BULLYING

• 15-25 of students are bullied.
• 15-20 of students bully others.
• Students who bully are more likely to skip
  school, drop out, abuse alcohol and drugs, and
  get into trouble with the law.
• Some students who are bullied, skip school and
  are afraid to come to school.

6
Do adults engage in bullying behavior?

• 37 of the total work force has been bullied at
  some point in their career.
• Workplace bullying includes
• Incivility
• Persistently criticizing work, mistakes,
  spreading gossip, exclusion, insulting habits,
  attitudes, private life
• Interpersonal conflict

The office bully is often the boss. Employers
ignore workplace bullying because they can.
7
Myths about bullying!

• Bullies have low self esteem.
• Bullies are rejected by peers and have no
  friends.
• Being a victim builds character.
• Being a victim will yield a violent teen.
• Bullying affects only the bully and the victim.

8
Facts about bullying

• Bullying is as pervasive among adults as among
  children.
• There is a victim profile.
• Can be predicted.
• Increases with age.
• Bullies are viewed as cool by peers.
• Bullies are generally larger, stronger and more
  physically attractive than their victims.
• Bullying education program dont work and may
  increase it.
• Zero tolerance doesnt work.

9
BULLYING IS AGAINST THE LAW

• You Can Be Arrested!!!!!

10
BULLYING IS AGAINSTTHE LAW

• SEC. 37-11-55. Code of Student Conduct.
• SEC. 97-3-85. Threats and Intimidation By Letter
  or Notice
• SEC. 97-17-67. Malicious Mischief
• SEC. 97-45-15. Cyber Stalking
• SEC. 97-45-17. Posting Messages through
  Electronic Media for the Purpose of Causing
  Injury to any Persons

11
WHAT YOU CAN DO

• Always tell an adult.
• Stay in a group.
• If it feels safe, try to stand up to the person
  who is bullying you (YELL LEAVE ME ALONE).
• If you are being bullied online, DO NOT REPLY.
• Join clubs or take part in activities to meet new
  kids.

12
Fighting Back

• Is not politically correct.
• Can lead to injury.
• Can result in disciplinary action.
• Can often be successful.
• Can help self esteem.
• Is often based on the moral values of the parent.
• Explain to the parent/student that sometimes you
  have to pay a price for what you personally
  believe is ethical behavior.

13
What causes bullying behavior?

• Natural need to establish a pecking order.
• To control the environment.
• To establish group dominance.
• To conform to group norms.
• Its fun to be dominant in the group.
• MICE

14
Primary Human Motivators

• Money
• Ideology
• Conscience
• Ego

15
Why do kids support the bully?

• To fit in and conform with group behavior.
• Fear of retribution by the bully or group.
• It boosts self esteem not to be the lowest in the
  food chain.
• Relief that that they are not the victim.
• Ethical/moral behavior such as justice, absolute
  right/wrong and the need to defend the
  weak/innocent is no longer stressed and taught.
• Ask kids who their heroes are You will be
  surprised.

16
What is the victim profile?

• Pleasers Victims NEED to PLEASE and will do
  whatever it takes to be accepted including
  being abused, humiliated, or bullied.
• Compliant Victims like to FOLLOW the RULES, not
  make waves, make sure they do not get in
  trouble with any authority figure.
• Afraid Victims are afraid often fearful of
  many things, but especially AFRAID OF
  CONFRONTATION. Any sort of conflict makes them
  miserable.
• Avoidant Victims avoid eye contact they AVOID
  NEW or UNCOMFY situations they have difficulty
  adapting and therefore try to keep things
  familiar.
• Very Sensitive Victims may be TOO SENSITIVE,
  aware of every nuance, and may misinterpret
  words or cues. They are NOT RESILIENT, not able
  to let things roll off.
• Socially Isolated Victims may have few friends,
  no group to hang out with. They may be SOCIALLY
  AWKWARD.
• Shy and Quiet Victims may have SOCIAL ANXIETY
  DISORDER which means that they are painfully
  shy or anxious in social situations to the
  degree that it impairs their ability to
  function.
• Language Problems Victims often have TROUBLE
  TALKING because they have problems
  remembering words, have a shallow amount of
  information to share, or because they have
  an undiagnosed language impairment which
  inhibits their ability to express themselves.
• Depressed Victims are often VERY UNHAPPY. They
  may have been depressed before the bullying
  started, and then they become more depressed
  because of the bullying.

17
The response continuum.
Do nothing
Tell someone
Respond verbally
Respond Physically
Flee
Questions the interventionist should ask and
observe In what context did the bullying take
place? Were the victims social skills
appropriate to the situation? What was the
apparent motivation of the bully?
18
What can parents do?

• Model assertive behavior.
• Constantly provide verbal and non verbal signals
  it is OK for the child to defend themselves and
  their body space.
• Teach kids to be good reporters of what happens
  to themselves and others.
• Teach appropriate social behavior.

19
TELL AN ADULT

• Adults can help.

20
DONT

• DONT think it is your fault, NOBODY DESERVES TO
  BE BULLIED.
• DONT keep it to yourself, TELL SOMEONE.
• DONT skip school or avoid activities because you
  are afraid, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE THERE.
• DONT think you are a tattle tale, IT IS THE
  RIGHT THING TO DO.

21
ARE YOU A BYSTANDER?

• The next time you see or hear someone getting
  bullied, there are great things you can do
• Report the bullying to an adult.
• Support the person who is being bullied.
• Stand up to the person who is bullying, (If you
  feel safe or just tell an adult.)

22
DO YOU BULLY OTHERS?

• Think about how it affects others.
• Put yourself in their shoes.
• Think about how it must make them feel.
• JUST DONT DO IT.
• Talk to an adult, making other people feel bad
  should never make you feel good. If it does talk
  to an adult about it. They can help.

23
REFERENCES

• Dr. Albert Mehrabian, Psychology Today
• Drs. Gabriel and Nilli Raam, Laboratory for
  Scientific Interviewing, Tel Aviv, Israel.
• SA Clint Van Zant, Agent Profiling Course,
  Behavioral Science Unit, FBI Academy, Quantico,
  VA.
• Denied Area Operations Course, Camp Perry, VA.
• The Gentle Art of Interviewing, Robert F. Royal
  and Steven R. Schutt.
• Sandy Herchcovis, 7th International Conference on
  Work, Stress and Health.
• Dr. Clark McGowan, Rush University Medical
  Center, Oakland, CA.

24
For More Information

• Mississippi Department of Education
• School Safety Division
• Robert O. Laird, CFE, CSSD
• Director
• rlaird_at_mde.k12.ms.us
• Inspector Don Criswell, CSRO
• Deputy Director
• dcriswell_at_mde.k12.ms.us
• 601-359-1028