Bullies: Who They A re. Who They B ecome. Who They A ffect.

1. Bullies: Who They Are. Who They Become. Who They Affect. By Shay Kretowicz & Amanda Klafehn

2. It is estimated that nearly 1 in 3 youth in the United States (or over 5.7 million) are involved in bullying as either a bully, a target of bullying, or both.

3. In a recent national survey of students in grades 6-10, 13% reported bullying others, 11% reported being the target of bullies, and another 6% said that they bullied others and were bullied themselves.

4. BOYS • Male victims are more likely to be physically abused • i.e. hit, pushed, slapped, punched • Direct Aggression • Male bullies target both boys and girls

5. Girls • Female youth are more likely than males to report being the targets of rumors and sexual comments. • Female youth most often bully other girls, using more subtle and indirect forms of aggression than boys. • For example, instead of physically harming others, they are more likely to spread gossip or encourage others to reject or exclude another girl.

6. Who Is The Bully? • Many people believe bullies are insecure, or misunderstood in social contexts. • But most bullies are confident, strong, quick to anger, and egocentric. • They typically don’t do well in school, more likely to fight regularly, drink, and do drugs.

7. Who is the Victim? • Bullies tend to target weaker children. • They have little empathy for their victims. • Bullies are sadistic and often enjoy seeing the results of their taunting/physical abuse

8. Who is at Risk of Becoming a Bully? • Children and teens that come from homes where parents provide little emotional support for their children. • Those whose parents fail to monitor their activities, or have little involvement in their lives, are at greater risk for engaging in bullying behavior. • Excessively harsh parental discipline can lead to deep-seated anger, and a need to lash out violently.

9. Who is at Risk of Being Bullied? • Children who are bullied are typically anxious, insecure, and cautious and suffer from low self-esteem. • They rarely defend themselves or retaliate. • They are often socially isolated and lack social skills. However, that is not always the case. • One study found that the most frequent reason cited by youth for persons being bullied is that they "didn't fit in."

10. Bullying into Adulthood • Children who bully are more likely to become juvenile delinquents or criminals as adults. • In one study, 60% of those characterized as bullies in grades 6-9 had at least one criminal conviction by age 24. • They can have difficulty maintaining positive relationships and can be domestically violent.

11. Results of Long-Term Bullying • Bullying can be devastating for children and youth, with long-term consequences. • Researchers have found that years later, long after the bullying has stopped, adults who were bullied as youth have higher levels of depression and poorer self-esteem than other adults.

12. Direct Affects of Bullying • Bullying can lead the children and youth that are the target of bullying to feel tense, anxious, and afraid. • It can affect their concentration in school, and can lead them to avoid school in some cases. • If bullying continues for some time, it can begin to affect children and youth's self-esteem and feelings of self-worth. • It also can increase their social isolation, leading them to become withdrawn and depressed, anxious and insecure.

14. Here are some Solutions. What do you think? • Several effective programs have been developed to decrease bullying in schools. • Such as: Rachel’s Challenge, The Yellow Dress Skit, SPECTRUM, and GSA • Research has shown that bullying occurs most often when there is a lack of adult supervision. Better parenting=less bullying. • What ideas do you have to decrease bullying in our society?

16. Bibliography • "Bullying Facts and Statistics." SafeYouth.org. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 27 Dec. 2007. Web. 10 Nov. 2009. <http://www.safeyouth.org/scripts/faq/bullying.asp>. • Pictures were found on Google Images