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Bullying prevention

( Updated at 19/09/2023 )

9 minutes of reading

What is bullying?

Bullying is a form of violence that corresponds to aggressive, intentional and repeated behaviors exercised by a child, young person, or group – bully or bullies – against another who has no possibility of defending themselves.

The bully is a form of crime and a human rights problem. Both girls and boys can be bullies or victims.

What are the characteristics of bullying?

The characteristics of bullying are:

violent relationship that occurs between peers
Power imbalance between those who attack and those who are attacked
repetition and continuity of aggressive behaviors
intentionality of aggressive behaviors, with the aim of frightening, hurting, humiliating and intimidating the victim
causes serious harm to victims
universal phenomenon and transversal to different countries, cultures, genders, social strata

What forms of aggression are typical of bullying?

There are several aggressive behaviors typical of a bullying situation, such as:

Physical violence: hitting, scratching, kicking, pushing, spitting, stealing or destroying property, surrounding, stalking
Verbal violence: provoking, insulting, threatening, yelling, humiliating, belittling, mocking certain physical characteristics, way of dressing, etc.
Relational/social violence: Excluding from a group, spreading rumors, rumors, and lies
Sexual violence: harassing, forcing non-consensual practices, unwanted touching, making offensive comments of a sexual nature
cyberbullying: spreading rumors or lies, insulting someone through social media, chats, email, SMS or phone call, creating fake profiles of the victim
Homophobic and transphobic bullying: discriminating on the basis of prejudice regarding another person's sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and/or sex characteristics, revealing or threatening to tell secrets or personal information about the victim's sexuality, denigrating the victim's image, making offensive comments or jokes

What is cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying corresponds to intimidation/aggression that occurs through the use of electronic and internet forms of communication, involving the publication on social networks, chats or sending any type of electronic messages, including photos or videos, with the aim of harassing, threatening or targeting another person.

Is bullying a normal part of "being a child"?

No. Although cases of bullying are frequent, especially in the school context, they cannot be considered normal of "being a child".

Currently, one in four students is a victim of bullying and is at risk of developing other complications.

In order for these cases to be resolved in the best way and to minimize the negative impacts on the victims, it is important to have the support and commitment of everyone (teachers, staff, school management, parents, colleagues, community, etc.).

A bullying situation cannot be ignored, at the risk of worsening and bringing serious consequences, both for those who are victims and for those who attack.

What are the consequences of this type of violence?

A victim of bullying has an increased risk of experiencing the following complications:

Physical Injuries
Self-inflicted injuries
Physical problems: headaches, tummy aches, dizziness
sleep and feeding
mood swings, behavior
psychological disorders, such as anxiety, depression
school failure
School Absence and Dropout
Tendency towards social isolation
difficulty establishing relationships with others
difficulty in academic/professional decision-making
continuity of experiences as a victim in the future or, in certain cases, as an aggressor
risky behaviors that compromise health, such as substance abuse
in the most severe cases, death by homicide or suicide

What are the factors that increase the risk of being bullied?

There are some characteristics that can make people or groups more vulnerable to bullying, namely:

low self-esteem
Insecure and shy attitude
Social isolation
difficulties in establishing relationships
In the opinion of the aggressor, being different from the majority or the group, such as dressing differently
LGBTI population – Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex People
physical, psychological or behavioural health problems
Condition of dependence and/or disability
having difficulties
- Economic
- in asking for help
- linguistic problems, e.g. in cases of immigration
aggressive or problematic family context

However, there are bullied children who pick on anyone they consider "weaker", taking advantage of their vulnerability: whether because they have better or worse grades, excess or underweight, appearance, or any other reason.

What signs may indicate that **one child is bullying another**?

Usually, a bully exhibits the following behaviors:

Need to dominate others
Aggressive attitudes
irritable and impulsive temperament
tendency to solve problems with violence
Difficulty obeying rules
Frequent lying
opposition to the authority of adults (such as parents and teachers)

How to recognize that a child is being bullied?

It can be difficult to identify a victim of bullying, however, there are some warning signs, namely:

anxiety, nervousness, sadness, or fear
physical pain or unexplained bruising and bruising
difficulty concentrating in class
increased irritability
Anxiety at the time of going to school
changes in mood and behavior
"Excuses" for not going to school
Withdrawal from friends and isolation
changes in sleep and appetite
damaged clothing or materials
Choosing an alternative route to and from school
Asking for more money or stealing
Fear of using mobile phone/computer/tablet
Seeming to not have many friends

I think my son is a victim of bullying. What should I do?

It is important to send the message to children that bullying is not acceptable and that by alerting them to a case they are helping several people in the same situation.

Seeing a child being bullied can be a painful and revolting process. It is a moment that must be managed with great sensitivity and with the aim of minimizing the negative impacts of the situation and developing self-confidence.

Therefore, the following recommendations are suggested:

talk openly about the issue with the child/young person
Listen attentively and calmly to what you have to say and ask questions so that you develop the conversation, but respecting your time
Provide comfort and support
convey security and confidence in what is said
Do not encourage aggressive behavior as revenge (violence is never a solution)
Arrange a meeting with the class principal or school psychologist
Teach Security Strategies:
- Ignoring the bully with indifference
- Maintain indifference and show feelings of trust
- Be assertive and tell the bully to stop his behavior
- Avoid confrontational situations with the bully
- Going to crowded places
- Always accompanied
- Tell an adult if something happens
If necessary, seek help from a psychologist<a href="https://saudemental.min-saude.pt/contactos-de-saude-mental-infancia-e-adolescencia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> or a mental health professional to ensure that your child is accompanied so that they do not develop or aggravate any type of anxiety, trauma, or other disturbance
give tips on online safety and security and track usage
help develop interpersonal communication skills
Provide successful and successful experiences to the child, reinforcing their self-esteem

I'm a victim of bullying. What should I do?

It is very important for a victim of bullying to tell a trusted adult about what is going on, in order to be protected and supported.

This is a brave act that will not only help the victim, but other children may be in the same situation. It is natural to feel insecure and afraid, however, these situations cannot remain silent.

In addition, it is recommended that you avoid confrontation with the bully, but if this is not possible you should:

Try to stay calm
show a brave and confident attitude (even if you don't feel that way)
Encourage the bully to walk away or ignore
If it bothers you, be assertive and tell them to stop
Look for a safer place
Ask for support immediately if something happens

Other recommendations:

Avoid walking alone or in isolated areas
Walking with a companion and frequenting busier environments
avoid feeling guilty for being the target of this type of aggression

What if the bully threatens to divulge situations in my private life?

If someone threatens to release another person's information, photographs, or videos without consent, it's important to block the bully and quickly tell an adult (teacher, school principal, parents, guardians, or psychologist).

You can also look for the security authorities (for example, Safe School), as we are talking about actions that are criminal. It is important not to delete the information and conversations, as they may be used as evidence in court.

What are the reasons that can prevent children from telling someone that they are being victimized?

Often, victims of bullying suffer in silence and do not seek help because:

are threatened
They think the problem could get worse without a solution
They are ashamed of vulnerability
They are afraid of being seen as "complaining", "weak" or cowardly
They fear that they will not be believed, that they will be downplayed or blamed for the situation
feel guilty about what happened (inducing guilt in the victim is a bully strategy)
have low self-esteem and feel unable to seek support

Thus, it is important to pay attention to the signs, as they are not always evident or revealed by the victim.

Why are there bullied children?

There are several factors that can influence a child's aggressiveness:

Need to assert oneself and demonstrate power over others
low self-esteem
having been bullied by other children or assaulted by adults (and copy these behaviors)
Need for attention
association of aggressiveness with popularity
lack of sensitivity and understanding towards the pain and feelings of others

However, these reasons are not a justification for allowing one child to engage in aggressive behavior against another. It is important to identify the source of the problem and provide support in order to prevent the continuation of the violence.

My son is aggressive towards his peers. What should I do?

If you recognize your child's aggressive behavior against their peers, you should intervene to prevent the continuation and escalation of violence.

It is important to make the child/young person who abuses aware of their actions and the negative impacts and want to stop. Therefore, you should stress that bullying is not acceptable and explain the negative impacts it has on both the other person and yourself. Bullies are children and young people who are more likely to engage in antisocial and criminal behaviour as adults (delinquency, dating violence, domestic violence).

The following approach is recommended:

Avoid minimizing the problem
have an active attitude to face the problem
To show clearly that violence is not a way of acting and that it is intolerable
talk openly and identify the reasons that arouse these aggressive behaviors in the child
help develop interpersonal communication skills and deal with the most diverse situations
Look at your own behaviors and be an example
Encourage them to apologize and explain that this is not an act of humiliation, but rather of humility and dignity
help put yourself in the other person's shoes and be more empathetic
Explain that there are negative consequences for their actions and that they exist for living safely in society (such as disciplinary proceedings, criminal proceedings)
Do not resort to physical punishment that only reinforces that violence is a way of acting in the relationship with the other
Try to spend more quality time with your child and keep up with activities and company
Establish clear rules and ensure that you stick to them by reinforcing and praising appropriate behaviour
Seek support from a psychologist and/or mental health professional

Where can victims and bullies turn for help?

Health services can help both victims and bullies. Violence is a problem that has serious consequences for physical and mental health, so its prevention is part of the mission of the National Health Service.

In health centres or hospitals, you can ask for support from your healthcare team, and there are also specialised teams that can support:

For specialized mental health support, consult the contacts provided by the Mental Health Service of the Hospital in your region – Childhood and Adolescence.

Source: Directorate-General for Health (DGS)

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