Bullying

Cambray Hall Mrs. Verdun English IV- 8th period March 25, 2014

Hall 1 Cambray Hall Mrs. Verdun English IV 8th period March 25, 2014 Bullying

Have you ever been personally targeted by another individual? Maybe not having your head forced into a toilet, but verbally hurt? The issue of bullying can be quite serious when it comes to this day in age. The effects bullying can have on its victims is something that may last throughout their lives, or something that may end their life. (Jeweler 2010). Knowing that suicide is an often result of bullying, and bullying is common in schools and everyday life, actions should be taken to prevent bullying in our society. Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time (Bullying Definition, 2014). There are several different types of bullying. The types of

Hall 2 bullying are verbal bullying, physical bullying, covert bullying, cyber bullying, prejudicial bullying, and sexual bullying (6 Types of Bullying 2014). Verbal bullying is when someone uses words to gain control over someone else. Name calling is an example of verbal bullying. Verbal bullying is one of most common types of bullying. Physical bullying is when someone uses bodily acts to gain control over another person. Physical bullying can be kicking, hitting, punching, slapping, or any other physical acts. Covert bullying is meant to ruin someones reputation, and cause them to be humiliated. This is a different type of bullying, and it can sometimes be hard to recognize. Covert bullying includes spreading rumors, negative body gestures, and mimicking. Another common type of bullying is cyber bullying. Cyber bullying is bullying being done over the internet, social networks, emails, and text messages. Talking about someone in a way negative on a social website is an example of cyber bullying. In almost every case of bullying there is a bully, and a person being bullied. Most bullies target certain people because of their race, religion, or sexual orientation. This is called prejudicial bullying. Last, but not least, sexual bullying. Sexual bullying is another common form of bullying among teens. This behavior describes an individual or a group of individuals who harass others through comments and actions that are sexual in nature. (Gordon 2011) Examples of sexual include touching or grabbing someone in a sexual way.

Hall 3 Most bullying takes place at school. At school there are students who are bullied, observers of bulling, and students who bully others. Observers of bullying are the students who stand and watch other students get bullied, and they do nothing about it. Most of the time observers are scared, feel guilty, or tempted to participate. This is why the students who are being bullied do not speak up for themselves. If they speak up there is no one there to back them up. The students who do the bullying are usually the ones who frequently get into fights. They also participate in negative activities such as smoking, drinking, stealing, and vandalism of property. Normally, they choose a particular group of students to pick on. Smart students tend to intimidate bullies. Bullies feel like smart students think their superior to them, and that is why they on intelligent students. Most schools in the United States do not wear school uniforms, therefore students have to wear whatever is in their closet. Some students where the same piece of clothing twice a week because they cannot afford fancy clothing. This gives bullies a reason or motive to bully less fortunate children. Another group of students being picked on is Hispanics. Some of them are new to the United States, and they still have their Spanish accent. Bullies make fun of them because of the way they talk, and their inability to understand certain things. Homosexuals are another group of people that is constantly being

Hall 4 tortured by bullies. Just because they are different, and they do not share the same interest as everyone else bullies feel the need to pick on them. Bullying is not something that people are born with, and it is not inherited. Something had to happen somewhere along the line for a person to become a bully. There are many reasons why people bully. People who have social issues, family issues, and bad personal history retaliate through bullying. The fact that one gets more social recognition for negative behaviors than for positive ones can also contribute to reasons why people bully (Why Do People Bully?, 2014). Most bullies act out because their influenced by things seen on television. Bullies feel like this is their only way of being noticed by their peers. Sometimes they want to impress certain friends. They sometimes feel jealous of or they may envy the person their picking on. Family issues can be another for bullies acting the way that they do. Families that are not warm and loving and in which feelings are not shared are more likely to have children who bully, either within the family home or in other locations in which the children meet others. Another home environment that is prone to producing bullies is one in which discipline and monitoring are inconsistent and/or a punitive atmosphere exists. (Why Do People Bully? 2014). Students who have experienced social rejection can also become bullies by passing on the trait to others. Academic failure is another reason children bully others. That is why intelligent children are

Hall 5 bullied. Some research indicates that the very fact of having power may make some people wish to wield it in a noticeable way, but it is also true that people may be given power without being trained in the leadership skills that will help them wield it wisely. Either situation can contribute to why people bully others. (Why Do People Bully? 2014). Sometimes bullies enjoy feeling power over someone because sometimes they are being bullied by someone else! ("For Kids." 2014). Not only are there causes for bullying, but affects as well. People who are bullied can experience mental health issues such as: depression, anxiety, weight loss, and change in sleeping patterns. They can also develop low self-esteem, and decrease in academic achievement. A very small number of bullied children might retaliate through extremely violent measures. In twelve of fifteen school shooting cases in the 1990s, the shooters had a history of being bullied. (Bullying vs. Violence, 2014). According to the media reports, bullying links with suicide. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people, resulting in about 4,400 deaths per year, according to the CDC. For every suicide among young people, there are at least 100 suicide attempts. Over fourteen percent of high school students have considered suicide, and almost seven percent have attempted it. Bully victims are between two to nine times more likely

Hall 6 to consider suicide than non-victims, according to studies by Yale University. (Bullying and Suicide, 2014). Bullying stories do not have happy endings. Recent media reports tell the story of a young man who was bullied so much for his sexual orientation that he took his own life. ("Bullying Stories." 2014). A homosexual kid by the name of Seth Walsh experienced prejudicial bullying at the age of thirteen. After being bullied everyday Walsh eventually committed suicide by hanging himself from a tree in his backyard (American Civil Liberties Union 2014). Another example of bullying gone wrong would be Jessica Logan. Jessica Logan was a petite was a petite, blond-haired, blue-eyed Ohio high school senior who committed suicide after sexting a nude photo of herself to her boyfriend. When they broke up, he sent the photo to everyone else at her school. Jesse was cruelly harassed for months by the other girls at her school. (Jessica Logan 1990-2008 2014). To prevent things like what happened to Seth Walsh and Jessica Logan from happening we must attack bullying. Bullying as an ongoing cycle with students who bully, followers, passive supporters, and the person being bullied ("How Bullying Affects Children | Violence Prevention Works." 2014). Building a safe environment for students is the first thing that needs to be done. Safety starts in classrooms. Everyone can work together on creating a

Hall 7 safer school where bullying is not accepted. If you see someone being bullied do not be a supporter of bullying. Do not cheer the bully on, and do not stand around to watch ("For Kids." 2014). The best thing to do is to get an adult involved. Teachers and school staff can help prevent bullying by talking to the students about bullying, and asking them if they have ever been bullied. Explain to them what bullying is, and tell them to report it to an adult if they witness it happening. Schools should create rules and policies in response to bullying. If there are consequences for children to suffer when they are caught participating in bullying that might encourage them to not bully. Getting parents involved can also be a major help in preventing bullying. Things will not change in schools unless parents take action at home. When parents get involved it makes the children feel safe, and they can focus more on school. It also takes weight off of the parents shoulders because they know that their child is in good hands. Bullying does not only happen in schools, but outside of school as well. Community leaders should take action against bullying. Hearing anti-bullying messages from the different adults in their community can reinforce the message for kids that bullying is unacceptable. Furthermore, bullying is ruining our society and nothing is being done about it. The longer we ignore bullying, the more children we will lose. Lend a hand, and take a stand against bullying.

Cambray Hall Ms. Verdun English IV 8th period March 25, 2014 Research Paper Bibliography "6 Types of Bullying." About.com Bullying. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Feb. 2014. "Bullying and Suicide." - Bullying Statistics. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2014. "Bullying Definition." Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2014. "Bullying Stories." - Bullying Statistics. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2014. "Bullying vs. Violence." - Bullying Statistics. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2014. "For Kids." Stop School Bullying--: What Is a Bully? N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2014. Gordon, Sherri. "6 Types of Bullying." About.com Bullying. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2014. Gordon, Sherri. "What Is Sexual Bullying and Why Do Kids Engage in It?" About.com Bullying. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2014.

"How Bullying Affects Children | Violence Prevention Works."How Bullying Affects Children |Violence Prevention Works. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2014. Ireland, Jane L. "Nature, Extent, and Causes of Bullying among Personalitydisordered Patients Web. 24 Mar. 2014. Jeweler, J. Weblog comment. Yahoo. N.p., 18 Jan. 2010. Web. 25 Mar. 2014. Weblog post. American Civil Liberties Union. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2014. Weblog post. Jessica Logan 1990-2008. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2014. "What Is Bullying." Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar. 2014. "Why Do People Bully?" - Bullying Statistics. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2014. in a High-secure Hospital." - Ireland. N.p., n.d.