Preventing Bullying

The purpose of the course is to help you understand, recognise and prevent bullying behaviour. Looking at
evidence from research, we will cover:

• who may be affected

• the effects of bullying and how to prevent bullying in organisations
• what you can do as an individual to play your part.

Module 1 – What is Bullying Behaviour?

In this module we will cover:

• the definition of bullying

• the different forms of bullying.

Please note: although it is best to avoid the label ‘bully’, for the sake of brevity, we use it in this course to
mean someone who is exhibiting bullying behaviour.

Bullying behaviour has become so prevalent that many people believe that it is an almost inevitable part of
growing up in today’s society – part of the rough and tumble of daily life. However, as we will demonstrate
in this programme, this should not be so because it can have serious and far reaching physical and
psychological effects on the person who is bullied, both at the time of the bullying and in later life. People
who bully, and those that witness bullying behaviour, can also suffer a range of adverse effects.

In the UK, the Department for Education (DfE) defines bullying as behaviour that is:

• repeated
• intended to hurt someone either physically or emotionally
• often aimed at certain groups, eg because of race, religion, gender or sexual orientation.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) defines bullying as having
three important components:
• repeated aggressive behaviour that involves unwanted, negative actions
• involves a pattern of behaviour repeated over time
• involves an imbalance of power or strength.

In the UK, anti-bullying organisations like Kidscape and the Anti-Bullying Alliance, as well as leading
academics in this field, would also agree that bullying involves an imbalance of power. This means that
the victim feels that they are unable to defend themselves.

The information in this course was current in June 2017.

Whilst EduCare Learning Ltd. have made every effort to ensure that the courses and their content have been devised and written by leading experts who have ensured that they reflect best practice
in all aspects, EduCare Learning Ltd. exclude their liability of the consequences of any errors, omission or incorrect statements to the fullest extent permitted by law and EduCare Learning Ltd. make
no warranty or representation as to the accuracy, completeness or fitness for purpose of any statements or other content in the course.

No part of this material may be reproduced or utilised in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system
without permission in writing by EduCare Learning Ltd.
It takes many forms and can include:

• physical assault and threats of harm

• verbal abuse (including name calling)
• emotional abuse (including social isolation)
• sexual abuse
• cyberbullying (any form of bullying behaviour via electronic means).

Most of us will have encountered some form of unpleasantness as we have grown up, but in most cases
this does not amount to persistent bullying that seriously affects our health and wellbeing.

Is teasing/‘banter’ the same as bullying?

Teasing is common amongst friendship groups and families. For the one doing the teasing it is a playful
way of provoking a reaction, usually without an intention or desire to cause hurt.

It is important however that we support children to communicate when they feel a joke has gone too far.
Even amongst family members and friendship groups, it is possible to cross a line and offend or hurt a
person’s feelings.

Banter can also be used as a way of reinforcing established group or social ‘norms’ and as such can run
the risk of being discriminatory, even if it is not a bullying situation. For example, it is common to hear
young people reinforcing gender stereotypes through banter; for example, ‘you run like a girl’, or to express
homophobic attitudes, such as, ‘your haircut is so gay!’.

It is therefore vital to explain to children from a young age the difference between playful, harmless teasing,
and that which can cause offence.

The five key components

There are typically five key components to bullying:

• There is an intention to harm: bullying is deliberate behaviour that sets out to upset and cause
distress.
• There is a harmful outcome: one or more people are hurt physically or emotionally.
• It is persistent and repeated: bullying involves repeated acts of aggression and hostility. An isolated
aggressive attack between equals, is not usually bullying.
• It is direct or indirect: bullying can involve direct acts of aggression, such as hitting someone, as well
as indirect acts, such as spreading rumours.
• There is unequal power: bullying involves the abuse of power by one or several people who are
more powerful or perceived as being more powerful, often due to their age, physical strength, or
psychological resilience.

The information in this course was current in June 2017.

Whilst EduCare Learning Ltd. have made every effort to ensure that the courses and their content have been devised and written by leading experts who have ensured that they reflect best practice
in all aspects, EduCare Learning Ltd. exclude their liability of the consequences of any errors, omission or incorrect statements to the fullest extent permitted by law and EduCare Learning Ltd. make
no warranty or representation as to the accuracy, completeness or fitness for purpose of any statements or other content in the course.

No part of this material may be reproduced or utilised in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system
without permission in writing by EduCare Learning Ltd.
Bullying as a group behaviour

It is important to recognise that bullying is often a group behaviour that happens within a social context.
Researchers have identified a number of roles that people play within a bullying dynamic
(see Salmivalli et al).

These could include:

• Victim
• Participant/bully (active, initiative taking, leader-like)
• Reinforcer (reinforcing the bullying behaviour of the participant; for example by laughing or providing
an engaged audience)
• Defender (supporting those on the receiving end, trying to stop the behaviour)
• Outsider/Bystander (typically doing nothing, passive audience)

Who is affected?

Bullying affects many school children at some point, either as a victim, a bully or as a bystander.

According to the UNESCO School Violence and Bullying Global Status Report of 2017:

In the USA, 32% of 12-18 year old students were bullied in 2007-2008.
Of these students:
21% were bullied once or twice a month
10% were bullied once or twice a week
7% were bullied daily
9% were physically injured

In a survey in Kenya of Nairobi public schools, between 63% and 82% of students reported various types of
bullying, while a survey in South Africa found that more than half of respondents had experienced bullying
once or twice in the last month.

In a UNESCO study in 2006 in 16 Latin American and Caribbean countries, based on data from around
91,000 students aged 10-14, 51% overall reported experiencing some type of bullying in the last month.

In a 2016 UNICEF U-Report opinion poll 100,000 young people in 18 countries responded and it was found
that two-thirds had been a victim of bullying.

There is a link to the UNESCO School Violence and Bullying Global Status Report of 2017 in the
‘Resources’ tab.

The information in this course was current in June 2017.

Whilst EduCare Learning Ltd. have made every effort to ensure that the courses and their content have been devised and written by leading experts who have ensured that they reflect best practice
in all aspects, EduCare Learning Ltd. exclude their liability of the consequences of any errors, omission or incorrect statements to the fullest extent permitted by law and EduCare Learning Ltd. make
no warranty or representation as to the accuracy, completeness or fitness for purpose of any statements or other content in the course.

No part of this material may be reproduced or utilised in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system
without permission in writing by EduCare Learning Ltd.
Disabled children and those with SEN

Disabled children and those with SEN are significantly more likely to experience all forms of bullying.

31% of disabled children experienced name calling

21% experienced some form of social exclusion
20% had been threatened with violence
18% had experienced actual violence

Longitudinal Study of Young People in England, 2014

In addition, others may experience bullying because of their:

• ethnicity
• religion
• gender
• sexual orientation (actual or perceived)
• any aspect of their appearance
• some aspect of their family life or domestic situation.

In a nutshell, bullying behaviour targets ‘difference’ and the difference can be real or perceived.
However, a child’s alleged difference is not really the point of bullying – bullies are playing with power in
any way they can.

Types of attack

A child may encounter bullying attacks that are:

Physical – pushing, shoving, kicking, hitting, pinching, spitting, non-consensual touch, and other forms of
violence or threats of violence

Verbal – name-calling, sarcasm, spreading rumours

Emotional – excluding someone, tormenting, ridiculing, intimidating or humiliating them.

Of course, bullying can include a mix of these techniques and include a number of children in the bullying,
either as witnesses or active participants, and repeated attacks may escalate in intensity.

The information in this course was current in June 2017.

Whilst EduCare Learning Ltd. have made every effort to ensure that the courses and their content have been devised and written by leading experts who have ensured that they reflect best practice
in all aspects, EduCare Learning Ltd. exclude their liability of the consequences of any errors, omission or incorrect statements to the fullest extent permitted by law and EduCare Learning Ltd. make
no warranty or representation as to the accuracy, completeness or fitness for purpose of any statements or other content in the course.

No part of this material may be reproduced or utilised in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system
without permission in writing by EduCare Learning Ltd.
Forms of bullying

Bullying behaviour may focus on any point of difference or perceived weakness that allows an imbalance of
power to be established. Some forms of bullying are also prejudice related and include:

• racist and/or faith targeted bullying

• homophobic, biphobic or transphobic bullying
• sexist and/or sexual bullying
• disablist bullying.

Racist and/or faith targeted bullying

The Macpherson Report defined a racist incident as ’any incident which is perceived to be racist by the
victim or any other person’.

Any bullying behaviour targeted at race or faith (whether actual or perceived), can be classed as racist
bullying

It can include:

• physical, verbal or emotional bullying

• insulting or degrading comments, name-calling, gestures, taunts, insults or ‘jokes’
• offensive graffiti
• humiliating, excluding, tormenting, ridiculing or threatening
• making fun of the customs, music, accent or dress of anyone from a different culture
• refusal to work or co-operate with others because of their race or faith (whether actual or perceived)

Sexist and sexual bullying

Sexist and sexual bullying can start at a young age. At primary school it would usually involve children
displaying behaviour they have learnt from older peers or adults, or sexist attitudes. As children move into
adolescence it will increasingly involve physical as well as verbal and emotional behaviours.

It might include:

• all forms of non-consensual touch; for example, hugging, grabbing, groping, rubbing)
• abusive comments and spreading rumours
• whistling and gesticulating
• sexual graffiti
• sending sexually explicit comments, photos or videos that are intended to harm or embarrass
another person or pressuring someone to send private images).

The information in this course was current in June 2017.

Whilst EduCare Learning Ltd. have made every effort to ensure that the courses and their content have been devised and written by leading experts who have ensured that they reflect best practice
in all aspects, EduCare Learning Ltd. exclude their liability of the consequences of any errors, omission or incorrect statements to the fullest extent permitted by law and EduCare Learning Ltd. make
no warranty or representation as to the accuracy, completeness or fitness for purpose of any statements or other content in the course.

No part of this material may be reproduced or utilised in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system
without permission in writing by EduCare Learning Ltd.
Homophobic, biphobic and transphobic bullying

Homophobic bullying includes any bullying behaviour targeted at lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender
people, or those perceived to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.

It might include:

• verbal, physical or emotional harassment, sexual harassment, insulting or degrading comments,

name-calling, gestures, taunts, insults or ‘jokes’
• humiliating, excluding, tormenting, ridiculing, threatening
• offensive graffiti
• refusing to work or co-operate with others because of their real or perceived sexual orientation or
identity.

Disablist bullying

Disablist bullying includes any bullying behaviour targeted at a disabled person or someone with special
educational needs. Disabled young people and those with special educational needs are significantly more
likely to experience bullying than their peers.

It might include:

• verbal, physical or emotional harassment, sexual harassment, insulting or degrading comments,

name-calling, gestures, taunts, insults or ‘jokes’
• humiliating, excluding, tormenting, ridiculing, threatening, manipulation
• offensive graffiti
• refusing to work or co-operate with disabled children or those with special educational needs.

Other vulnerable groups

Other children that are particularly vulnerable to bullying include those from deprived backgrounds, children
in care, children with facial disfigurements, children that are either under or over weight, children with
medical needs and young carers. There tends to be less awareness and support for these children and so
it is vital to consider different types of vulnerability and how you can best support them.

With all forms of bullying, it is important to remember that it is not the bullied child who is at fault. They
should never be told to expect bullying because of who they are. You may need to support them to build
confidence and become more assertive, but ultimately the bully needs to change their attitudes and
behaviour.

The information in this course was current in June 2017.

Whilst EduCare Learning Ltd. have made every effort to ensure that the courses and their content have been devised and written by leading experts who have ensured that they reflect best practice
in all aspects, EduCare Learning Ltd. exclude their liability of the consequences of any errors, omission or incorrect statements to the fullest extent permitted by law and EduCare Learning Ltd. make
no warranty or representation as to the accuracy, completeness or fitness for purpose of any statements or other content in the course.

No part of this material may be reproduced or utilised in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system
without permission in writing by EduCare Learning Ltd.
Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is any form of bullying behaviour by electronic means. It can take place both inside and
outside of school, can be experienced 24/7 and has the potential to reach a very large audience in a short
period of time. It is also more likely that children will either become involved in, or witness an incident of
cyberbullying.

Young people will typically experience cyberbullying on social networking sites, through Instant Messaging
services, through online gaming, and via emails, text messages and calls.

1. Social networking sites

Bullies can write hurtful, offensive or intimidating comments on someone’s profile or join in the commentary
on a bullying episode that is already taking place (which still makes the perpetrator culpable of bullying).
Fake profiles can also be set up with the deliberate intention of bullying someone else.

2. Trolling

We have probably all heard of internet trolls, people who intentionally set out to start an argument or upset
people, and there are those who deface internet tribute sites with the aim of causing emotional harm to the
families of people who have died.

3. Email

Sending abusive emails to someone else and copying in other people who join in the abuse is a form of
online bullying.

4. Online games

People can be abused and bullied through gaming sites and if they are multi-player games, others can
join in.

5. Mobile phones

The increasing use of smart phones, even for very young children, can leave them open to inappropriate
photographs, videos or abusive texts. Sexting or encouraging someone to send intimate photographs of
themselves and then sharing them with other people to cause hurt or ridicule is also on the rise. Many
young people report feeling violated, desperate, and sometimes suicidal, when these types of situations
spiral out of control.

6. Instant messaging

Also on mobile phones, applications like Blackberry Messenger, iMessage or WhatsApp can be used to
deliver instant abusive messages to other peoples’ phones and invite others to join in the abuse.

The information in this course was current in June 2017.

Whilst EduCare Learning Ltd. have made every effort to ensure that the courses and their content have been devised and written by leading experts who have ensured that they reflect best practice
in all aspects, EduCare Learning Ltd. exclude their liability of the consequences of any errors, omission or incorrect statements to the fullest extent permitted by law and EduCare Learning Ltd. make
no warranty or representation as to the accuracy, completeness or fitness for purpose of any statements or other content in the course.

No part of this material may be reproduced or utilised in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system
without permission in writing by EduCare Learning Ltd.
Bullying in all its forms, whether it is direct, indirect or virtual is not, and never should be, an inevitable part
of growing up.

Where does bullying occur?

Bullying can occur wherever children and young people spend their time, but in the UK Ofsted inspectors
found that the majority of bullying takes place at school.

Their research shows the location of bullying experiences as follows:

55 percent at school
24 percent at home
18 percent around where children live
12 percent around where children go to school
11 percent travelling from one place to another

There is also a strong relationship between cyberbullying and the bullying that takes place in schools. Less
than 16 percent of cyberbullying exists solely on the internet without a face-to-face component at school
which only serves to reinforce the fact that most bullying takes place within the school environment.

Wherever bullying happens – in school, in a sports context, on public transport or in an institutional setting,
it is extremely upsetting for the victim and in some cases, it may constitute criminal behaviour. Bullying
behaviour that might constitute a crime could include:

• violence (actual or threatened)

• sexual assault (actual or threatened)
• sharing of sexual images
• theft
• harassment and intimidation over a period of time
• encouraging others to harm themselves/ commit suicide
• hate crimes.

In summary

This module has looked at what bullying is, including the five key components of bullying behaviour. We
also covered who is affected by bullying and seen that most children have experienced it at some point in
their lives, but there are some groups of people who are likely to be more affected than others. The
different forms of bullying were explained and we examined the part that technology can play in bullying
behaviour. Finally, we looked at bullying behaviour that might constitute a crime.

The information in this course was current in June 2017.

Whilst EduCare Learning Ltd. have made every effort to ensure that the courses and their content have been devised and written by leading experts who have ensured that they reflect best practice
in all aspects, EduCare Learning Ltd. exclude their liability of the consequences of any errors, omission or incorrect statements to the fullest extent permitted by law and EduCare Learning Ltd. make
no warranty or representation as to the accuracy, completeness or fitness for purpose of any statements or other content in the course.

No part of this material may be reproduced or utilised in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system
without permission in writing by EduCare Learning Ltd.