NOBODY LIKES A BULLY!

1. NOBODY LIKES A BULLY! An Anti-Bullying Presentation by Steve Kent, MHA District of Mount Pearl North Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister Responsible for the Forestry and Agrifoods Agency Government of Newfoundland and Labrador

2. What is Bullying? • The act of intimidating a weaker person to make them do something • Bullying is a form of abuse. • It comprises repeated acts over time that involves a real or perceived imbalance of power with the more powerful individual or group abusing those who are less powerful.

3. What is Bullying? • The power imbalance may be social power and/or physical power. • Behaviors and actions that are verbal, physical and/or anti-social, such as exclusion, gossip and non-verbal body language. • It can occur at school or in transit between school and home. • Deliberate action or behaviour directed towards another person which may take many forms and can often occur over a long period of time.

4. The Many Forms of Bullying • Physical bullying includes behaviours such as: hitting, kicking, shoving, spitting, beating up, stealing, or damaging property. • Verbal bullying includes behaviours such as: name-calling, mocking, hurtful teasing, humiliating or threatening someone, racist comments, or sexual harassment.

5. The Many Forms of Bullying • Electronic or Cyber bullying includes the use of email, cell phones, text messages, and internet sites to threaten, harass, embarrass, socially exclude, or damage reputations and friendships. • Racial bullying includes behaviours such as: treating people badly because of their racial or ethic background, saying bad things about a cultural background, calling someone racist names, or telling racist jokes.

6. The Many Forms of Bullying • Religious bullying treating people badly because of their religious background or beliefs, saying bad things about a religious background or belief, calling someone names or telling jokes based on his or her religious beliefs. • Sexual bullying includes behaviours such as: leaving someone out or treating them badly because they are a boy or a girl, making someone feel uncomfortable because of their sex, making sexist comments or jokes touching, pinching or grabbing someone in a sexual way, making crude comments about someone’s sexual behaviour, spreading a sexual rumour about someone, or calling someone gay, a fag, a lesbian, or other names like that. • Disability bullying includes behaviours such as: leaving someone out or treating them badly because of a disability, making someone feel uncomfortable because of a disability, or making comments or jokes to hurt someone with a disability.

7. Bullying and Power • Bullying is a form of aggression used from a position of power. Children acquire power in many ways: • Advantage in size, age, strength, intelligence, etc. • Advantage in social status with peers (e.g., more popular, more socially dominant). • Knowledge of another's vulnerability (e.g., obesity, learning problems, family issues, disabilities) and using that knowledge to cause distress.  • Membership in a dominant group in society and using that power against members of a less dominant group in the forms of racism, sexism, homophobia, and classicism.

8. Bullying and Power • Children and youth who are marginalized in our society may be at high risk for victimization, which can lead to involvement in bullying. These children and youth include those who are: • Racial, ethnic, and religious minorities • Sexual minorities  • Economically disadvantaged  • Children with exceptionalities

9. Anti-Bullying Day • Inclusion • Stand up to Bullying • Help your friends • Be the solution, not the problem • Strength in Numbers • Trust your Teachers • Be strong

10. Are You Wearing Pink? • Why wear pink? • Anti-Bullying Day is EVERYDAY • Be a ROLE MODEL • REPORT a Bully • DON’T GIVE UP • Show that you have COURAGE

11. Why do Bullies Bully? • They may be unhappy and take their unhappiness out on others • They have been bullied themselves • It makes them feel superior to others, or in control • To get attention or feel tough • They think it will make them popular • They may be jealous of the people they are bullying • Some may not even realize that they are bullies • The truth of the matter is that bullies typically have self-esteem issues, may fear getting picked on themselves and/or have difficulties expressing negative emotions or dealing with issues in their own life • Bullying is a learned behaviour and can be eliminated!

12. Bullying is Real • Dawn Marie Wesley (As reported by CBC, 2002) She was a 14 year old resident of Mission, B.C. A breakdown in a group of friends led to one girl bullying and encouraging other teenaged girls to join in the taunting and verbal torture of Dawn Marie Wesley. This taunting escalated and one of the girls beat Dawn Marie. Another girl admitted calling Dawn Marie and saying, "You're dead." After one particular threatening phone call from the girls Wesley wrote a suicide note saying she had been threatened by bullies and that death was her only escape. Shortly after she took her own life. One of the girls was charged with uttering threats and criminal harassment, while two others were charged with uttering threats. As bystanders, what could the other girls from the group done in this situation?

13. Bullying is Real • David Knight (As reported by CBC, 2002) David Knight’s life at school was hell. He had no idea why he was teased, taunted and physically hurt for years. The humiliation became unbearable when someone set up an abusive website about him. The website posted vulgar, sexual comments and hurt David’s reputation. He also received nasty emails with similar messages. In David’s case the bullying escalated from 30 people in the cafeteria saying something about him, to being posted online for 6 billion people to see. Feeling trapped, David left school to finish his last year of studies at home. Seven months later, David and his family finally got the hurtful website taken off the internet. Why may some people be more likely to bully online rather than in person? What can you do if you find offensive or hurtful things online?

14. Hazing – The Same as Bullying • What is hazing? Hazing is an intentional or reckless act committed by a person or group against another person, in which the act is committed in connection to an initiation into or affiliation with a membership in any organization (sports team, club, etc…). • Why is hazing wrong? Hazing is wrong because the individuals involved are at risk of potential physical injury, mental harm or personal degradation. • The biggest problem when it comes to hazing is getting players to tell someone about the incidents. Often they go unreported because the individuals are so eager to fit in and be accepted with those around them.

15. Hazing is Wrong • Hazing incident in P.E.I. (As reported by CBC) In November 2008, reports emerged of a hazing incident by a Yukon boys soccer team while in P.E.I for their national tournament. Some players were tied up with athletic tape, wrapped in plastic wrap and had obscenities written on them. Sports associations have taken the step to create harassment policies and penalties to be faced by athletes who engage in such activities (CBC, 2008). • Hazing incident: Halifax As reported by the Halifax Herald: A Halifax high school hazing ritual left several students with cuts and bruises and another with a broken wrist when older students beat them with oars and paddles and smeared them with food. Over the years several paddles have been found in the school. Investigations by the school and the police occurred as a result of the reported paddling.

16. Bullying is Real • Videos send a strong message… • http://stopabully.ca/bullying/videos.html

17. Video Discussion • Anti Bullying FlashMob • My Son – A Dad’s Message • Students Take Charge • Anti Bullying Ad

18. Questions? Thanks!