Bullying: How Much Do YOU Know?

Megan Kopscik - Olweus Bullying Prevention TrainingWe are so thankful to have Megan Kopscik, a ClemsonLIFE Graduate Assistant in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, serving with us as an intern at Cherokee Creek Boys School. Another plus is that Megan is certified in the Olweus bullying prevention program. She is doing training with our staff on how to spot bullying, as well as how to respond if and when it occurs.

Here are a few of the notes Megan shared from her wealth of knowledge on bullying:

Bullying is when someone repeatedly and on purpose says or does mean or hurtful things to another person who has a hard time defending himself or herself.

The 3 Components of Bullying Behavior:

(1) Involves an aggressive behavior

(2) Typically involves a pattern of behavior repeated over time

(3) Involves an imbalance of power or strength

Bullying

The Effects of Being Bullied:

(1) Depression, Anxiety, and Illness

(2) Absenteeism & Lowered School Achievement

(3) Thoughts of Suicide

While most people think that bullying is most prevalent in high school, prominent studies actually show a steady decrease as the grade level climbs. Reports of being bullied are highest in the the 3rd grade and continue to decrease all the way to the 12th grade.
Bullying - How Are Students Bullied?Many people think about the physical abuse that occurs in bullying situations, however, the most common form of being bullied was verbal abuse, followed by rumor-spreading and social exclusion. A relatively small percentage of students in the study indicated that they had been cyber-bullied (2-3 times a month or more), compared with verbal abuse, rumor-spreading, exclusion, and sexual threats.

Another troubling statistic reports that 30-60% of children do not report their victimization–at least not to adults at their school or to their parents. Typically, boys and older students do not report their incidents as often as girls and younger students.

Megan ended her presentation with a some words of hope, “It IS possible to reduce bullying, but it requires a team effort and a long-term commitment.”

Thank you so much, Megan, for your wise counsel to our staff in this area. We are so glad that you are part of our team Cherokee Creek Boys School.

posted by Judy Leslie in Bullying and have Comments Off on Bullying: How Much Do YOU Know?

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