National Bullying Awareness Month
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) describes bullying or peer victimization as “a deliberate and unsolicited action that occurs with the intent of inflicting social, emotional, physical, and/or psychological harm to someone who often is perceived as being less powerful.”
- Incidents are repeated
- Prevents an environment from being safe and stress-free
- Can be physical (hitting, tripping, kicking, etc.), verbal (name calling, teasing, taunting, threatening, and sexual comments), and social (spreading rumors, embarrassing someone in public, being purposefully exclusive)
- Can be cyberbullying, or bullying that occurs in on-line platforms or through internet communication
- Bullying can lead to serious consequences:
- Can create short or long term traumatic experiences for the person being bullied
- Lead to lower academic performance
- Create or exacerbate mental health concerns
- Lead to low self-worth (internal), social challenges, and low self-esteem (external)
So what can be done to help reduce bullying and its effects?
Action steps if you are experiencing peer victimization:
- Prioritize personal safety by removing yourself from dangerous situations and staying near safe peers
- Seek help from adults you trust, including school counselors, family members, or educators, until your concerns are addressed
- Address online incidents by preserving documentation, blocking harmful accounts, and avoiding engagement
- Refrain from escalating the scenario through retaliatory behaviors
- Seek safe spaces and support from trusted friends, family, therapists/counselors, or other adults
If you see peer victimization occuring:
- Avoid encouraging perpetrators or participating in social exclusion
- Offer support by welcoming the target into your group or assisting them in leaving an unsafe space
- Inform trusted staff or authority figures about observed mistreatment
Guidance for parents addressing harmful behaviors in their children:
- Establish firm boundaries stating that peer victimization will not be permitted
- Investigate underlying emotional distress, external stress factors, or personal trauma
- Collaborate with educational personnel to foster emotional development and appropriate boundaries
Resources:
https://www.nctsn.org/what-is-child-trauma/trauma-types/bullying/nctsn-resources
https://www.nctsn.org/what-is-child-trauma/trauma-types/bullying
https://www.stompoutbullying.org/blog/end-hate-20-ways-stand-and-help-stomp-out-bullying
https://mhanational.org/resources/what-to-do-if-youre-being-bullied/
https://www.stopbullying.gov/prevention/middle-school
Rebecca Kapetansky
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