Bullying Prevention

Bullying Prevention Engaging students in campus anti-bullying efforts

KIMBERLY NOVAKCAMPUS SAFETY AND STUDENT RISK MANAGEMENT SPECIALISTwww.novaktalks.com@NovakTalks

Beyond High School: How Bullying Affects College Students http://theminaretonline.com/2011/11/16/article20374 Bullying is defined as a sustained intimidation of a targeted person meant to humiliate and frighten the target and bystanders.

Bullying looks like other risk “problems” "Bullying — a form of harassment and violence — needs to be understood from a developmental, social, and educational perspective," the report reads. "The educational settings in which it occurs and where prevention and intervention are possible need to be studied and understood as potential contexts for positive change.” American Educational Research Association Prevention of Bullying in Schools, Colleges, and Universities

Students need to be part of the solution Theory and applied research have repeatedly stressed the importance of involving the individual, peer groups, school, family, and the community in preventing bullying (Benbenishty & Astor, 2005)

Student Involvement LOOKS LIKE….. part ▪ ner [pahrt-ner] a person who is involved in the process, brings something to the table, develops and supports the message, recognizes the need to address the issue and what needs to be done; needed from all levels of influence;

Strategically Select Students Research finds that most bullies in actuality are the successful, popular, outgoing people in school or work. They know how to manipulate situations. They know how to target victims without the authorities catching them. And most importantly, they lack the ability to empathize ~ Daniel Weddle, a professor from the University of Missouri-Kansas City's School of Law

What is your message? • Bullying is not acceptable • Who to report bullying to • Consequences for bullying • Resources to access if bullied

Change the Message

Applying Klitzner to Anti: Bullying: Strategy Options • Ask these questions: (Klitzner) • Setting the context: have we made community standards clear? • Thinking about research/theory, what strategic changes could… • Make desirable behavior easier • Reward desirable behavior • Make undesirable behavior harder • Raise cost of undesirable behavior • Make the physical environment safer 10

UNPACK THE BEHAVIOR

What is Happening? • Understanding bullying on your campus • Who is involved? • Where does it occur? (facilities, events, on-line, groups) • How often does it occur? • What does it look like? • What motivate bullies?

The researchers have found that children who bullied were often motivated by a desire to increase their popularity and that they chose generally unpopular victims to avoid losing social status. Fear of those that are different can be a catalyst for bullying Organizational membership can be a catalyst for bullying

60% undergrads saw peer bullying • 6.1% Victims of peer bullying • 4.2 % Bullied other students • Males are more likely to bully than women • No Gender or ethnic difference in bullied • Minority sexual orientation more likely to be bullied All victims of bullying reported feeling safest in their dorm rooms

25% Social Networking Sites 21.2% Texting 16.1% Emails 45.5 % Deleted Messages 47% Laughed About 34.5% Talked to someone about it • College Bullying “Looks Like” • Gossiped about • Called Names • Excluded from class activities • Physically abused

What could the message be ? • Bullying is not acceptable • What Bullying looks like • Impact of Bullying • How to get help if you are being bullied • How to help someone you think may be a victim • What happens once a report is made • How to talk about bullying with your peers • Safety is everyone’s responsibility

Student Voices about Bystander Behavior • Shared Prejudices will be confronted • Students are bothered by problem behaviors • Students underestimate other students desire for intervention • Student leaders underestimate their peers desires for something to be done • Intervention is more likely when others are perceived as willing to intervene Northern State University bystander behavior in relation to problem behaviors resulting from alcohol use & University of Maine Bystander Ed Initiative

Stages of Bystander Behavior • Notice the event • Interpret the behavior as a problem • Feel responsible for solving the problem • Possess the necessary skills to act

B = f(P,E) One of the Strongest attitudinal predictors of high-risk behavior is the belief that friends approve

What Are We Doing? • What current efforts are you making to address acts of incivility? • What other campus-initiatives can you access? • What messages are being communicated about bullying? • How is your community responding to bullying? • What intervention opportunities exist? • How can we involve students in efforts?

From: ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIES, Michael Klitzner, Ph.D. www.azag.gov/StopMeth/EnvironmentalStrategiesToPreventSubstanceAbuse.pdf 21

Students need to be part of the solution Theory and applied research have repeatedly stressed the importance of involving the individual, peer groups, school, family, and the community in preventing bullying (Benbenishty & Astor, 2005)

Resources American Educational Research Association • http://www.aera.net/Portals/38/docs/News%20Release/Prevention%20of%20Bullying%20in%20Schools,%20Colleges%20and%20Universities.pdf Beyond High School: How Bullying Affects College Students • http://theminaretonline.com/2011/11/16/article20374 Bullying in College By Students and Teachers • http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/13335640/bullying-college-by-students-teachers The Knowledge and Prevalence of Cyberbullying in a College Sample • http://www.psyencelab.com/images/The_Knowledge_and_Prevalence_of_Cyberbullying_in_a_College_Sample.pdf ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGIES, Michael Klitzner, Ph.D. • www.azag.gov/StopMeth/EnvironmentalStrategiesToPreventSubstanceAbuse.pdf

Questions

Bullying Prevention