Bullying is an unwanted aggressive and concerning issue among school children worldwide. It puts a toll on the mental health of the children. Sometimes we even lose the children upon failing to notice the children being bullied or not taking precautions beforehand.  According to the report published by UNESCO from the data collected from 144 countries state that “almost one in three students (32%) has been bullied by their peers at school at least once in the last month and a similar proportion are affected by physical violence”. As Educators, parents, or guardians it is worrisome and essential to address and prevent bullying and ensure the safety of the children. It would benefit them if they knew how to handle bullying in Schools. Here is a guide that outlines strategies for handling school bullies.

What is Bullying?

Bullying refers to unwanted or aggressive behavior from someone who is intentionally trying to upset, harm, or have power over you. Bullying not only occurs among children, adolescents, and teens but also among adults too. It can be either in person, online, or through social media. Adults usually get bullied, in social groups and workplaces.

Types of Bullying in Schools

Verbal Bullying: This is the most common Bullying in schools. Verbal bullying is when someone is saying or writing harmful things or making threats. It can also include being made fun of in the form of name-calling, taunting, insults, teasing, threatening to cause harm, and making inappropriate comments.


Social Bullying: This is another common type of Bullying in schools. Social bullying is also called relational bullying, relational aggression, or emotional bullying. It involves threatening someone's reputation or relationships. Social bullying can be in the form of excluding someone on purpose, spreading rumors and gossip about someone, shunning, or telling others not to interact or be friends with someone, and publicly embarrassing someone.

Physical Bullying: Physical bullying may include bodily harm or damage to possessions. Any form of aggressive physical contact constitutes physical bullying. Hitting, kicking, or spitting on someone, tripping or pushing someone, taking or breaking someone’s things, and making mean or inappropriate gestures are some types of physical bullying.

Cyber Bullying:  Sending mean texts, posting insults about someone on social media, making rude comments about someone's posts, posting or sending personal information about someone to others to hurt or embarrass that person, threatening someone, or bullying them through online chats or groups and other such similar threats are forms of Cyberbullying.

Cyberbullying involves bullying or harassing someone online or through social media. This harassment can occur on a computer, telephone, cell, or text messaging device. Though cyberbullying is not very common among adolescents, teenagers have found this type.

Racist Bullying: Racist or racial bullying can include all other types of bullying in schools, even physical attacks. It includes: belittling, mocking, or intimidating someone because of their race, devaluing someone's racial background, discrediting someone's religious or cultural practices, Insulting or shaming a person's speech, the way they dress, or their customs.

Recognizing the Signs

If signs of bullying are not recognized at the earliest, it can make the situation worse for the victim. The Some of the signs that indicate bullying are:

  • ● Unexplained injuries
  • ● Lost or destroyed personal belongings
  • ● Changes in eating and sleeping patterns
  • ● Declining grades and loss of interest in school
  • ● Avoidance of social situations
  • ● Emotional distress, such as anxiety, depression, or mood swings

Preventive Measures


Preventing bullying needs strategies, some of which schools can implement:

1. Anti- Bullying policies: Students should be educated about bullying and the firm rules that are set against bullying and the procedure to report the incidents.

2. Awareness among the Students and the Staff: Everyone in the school should have regular training sessions about bullying and how to respond to it.

3. Promoting a Positive school environment: A positive environment in the school is created only when all the students are made to feel included and are taught values such as respect, empathy, sympathy, and kindness.

4. Encouraging Open Communication: It is essential to create an environment where they feel safe and comfortable to communicate with the staff if they are being bullied in person or being anonymous.

5. Involvement of Parents and Guardians: Parents should be included in anti-bullying campaigns so even they are aware of how to support their children in such situations.

Responding to Bullying

When you encounter bullying or see the signs of bullying, you must act swiftly. Here is what you can do:
1. When you witness bullying or see signs report it immediately to the school authorities.
2. The school administration has to conduct a detailed investigation including victims, bully, and witnesses.
3. The victim will need emotional and psychological support. Hence, he/she should be offered assurance of his safety and counseling.
4. Bully should be punished according to the anti-bullying policy of the school and should be warned not to repeat this behavior in the future.
5. Understanding the behavior of the bully, efforts should be made to correct his behavior.
6. Monitoring the Bully’s behavior and ensuring no such incidents repeat.

Long-term Strategies

Bullying is a serious issue; it has to be taken with utmost seriousness. Schools need great long-term strategies to prevent them.

1. Schools should have a mentor-mentee system where the students feel comfortable to confide the incident.
2. Incorporate SEL programs into the curriculum to help students develop skills like empathy, self-awareness, and conflict resolution.
3. Frequently conduct anonymous feedback with a questionnaire where students can answer honestly. This data will help to find if the school still faces issues like bullying.

Conclusion

Handling bullying will be a collaborative effort from parents, teachers, students, and school management. Students must learn the boundaries and respect one another. There are cases reported in India, about the victim students committing suicide, or being attacked to death by the bully. This shouldn't be the fate of our children, hence let us create a positive environment, educate, and create awareness among the students about bullying and come up with an effective anti-bullying policy and put an end to all the types of bullying in the schools.

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