Bully Targets
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Posted by Barbara Pytel Dec 8, 2006 |
Australia Study
A recently released study from Melbourne, Australia shows that not only mild-mannered students get bullied. A second group is also very likely to get teased. The hot-headed students that react strongly to teasing are likely targets, as well.
Chee Chee Leung of The Age Company Ltd. writes that hot-headed students are 2.6 times more likely to be teased or harassed than passive students. These students were also more likely to "remain" a victim of harassment. The passive student is more likely to be forgotten as a target.
Fighting Back May Not Work
Reactionary students may be entertainment for bullies. If bullies know that they can get an "explosive" reaction from a hot-headed student, this could be enough to make them a target for sheer fun. Hot students get caught up in the cycle. They often have parents that encourage self-defense or retaliation which perpetuates this cycle. Of course, the school needs to deal with the harassment problem but the hot-headed student needs to meet with the school counselor and develop a plan of action to break the cycle.
Win-Win for Bullies
If the schools don't take a heavy-handed approach to harassment, bullies are in control. If they tease the weak, they are in control. If they can get someone to go off the deep end, they are in control. Bullies victimize more than the target students. They intimidate and cause fear in those that witness the harassment. It affects the climate of the entire school.
Schools need to be aware that it is not just the weak and shy that are targets and take a strong stand that bullying will not be tolerated.
Series on Bullying
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Copyright article 2006 Barbara Pytel. All Rights Reserved.