Introduction to bullying

Everybody has heard of road rage. This is usually defined by rude hand gestures, and exchange of insults, driving in a threatening or aggressive way.

This sort of behavior leads to all kinds of auto accidents, physical assaults and general altercations. This is the kind of behavior we have become accustom to seeing on the road and in the news when road rage goes too far.

The Broward county sheriff's department coined a new phrase in the book of bullying; "Text Rage", unfortunately we may have to get used to seeing in it the news.

With the prevalence of the Internet and mobile phone technology, a new version of an old human behavior has begun to take root in the land. Cyberbullying is here to stay and so, unfortunately, is Text Rage.

On March 17th 2010, Wayne Treacy, attacked 15 year old Josie Lou Ratley, first with his fists and then repeatedly kicked her with his steel-toed boots followed by savagely stomping on her head.

This 15 year old boy is at this time facing charges for attempted murder from an incident that all started with a simple text message which threw him into a fit of Text Rage.

Apparently she sent him an inflammatory text message about his brother who had recently committed suicide. According to his friends he became enraged, threw on his boots and said he was going to kill her. He then rode his bike over to her school three miles away and attacked her.

What is it, inside a 15 year old boy that makes it justifiable in his mind to savagely attack a defenseless girl? Is it a simple lapse in otherwise good judgment? Is it possible to prevent future incidents like this? Undoubtedly we'll see yet another round of bureaucratic law making which won't solve anything. 

Yes, new laws will give us all new and interesting ways to punish the guilty, But the solution begins and ends with the parents and the children themselves. Parents raising well adjusted kids with good self-esteem the only way to actually solve the issue.

On April 20, 1999, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold climbed the stairs to the West Entrance of Columbine High School and opened fire on their fellow students and teachers. Before they ended the rampage by shooting themselves, they had killed 12 students and teachers, and injured 24 others.

As the dust settled around Columbine, other students painted a picture of a pair of alienated young boys who had been picked on, taunted, bullied and ostracized throughout their school lives. Investigation after the shootings revealed a pattern of escalating counter-bullying in retaliation that culminated in a tragedy that shook the nation – and created a new awareness of the effects of bullying in our schools.

Since then, the world of education has coined a new word – bullyproofing. Under the bright light of media attention, researchers have challenged the stereotypical image of the bully as a bitter loner with poor self esteem. They’ve drawn links to early behaviors and warning signals that may alert teachers and parents to bullying incidents. They’ve identified bullying with cliques, popularity, adult approval, power and social status. And they’ve made it clear that the effects and actions of bullies extend far beyond the playground, and the consequences can resonate throughout the lives of both the victims and the victimizers.

In fact, bullying happens to people of all ages and is perpetrated by people of all ages. There is no age or gender gap when it comes to bullying. While girls often choose different tactics when they bully, they are as likely to engage in bullying behaviors as boys. There is no age line in bullying. There are bullies and victims of bullies in all age groups. And far from the popular image of the bully as an angry child who is taking out his own powerlessness in the face of authority, bullies are found in all walks of life at all levels of power.

Nor is bullying as harmless as was once commonly accepted. The victims of bullies do not outgrow the scars caused by bullying. Some, bullied beyond tolerance, resort to suicide – or homicide. More often, they learn that they are alone against the world, and powerless to stop the pain. They may internalize the anger and pain, become depressed and mistrustful or retaliate by becoming bullies themselves. The least likely scenario, though, is the one that is most commonly shown in movies, books and comic strips – the bullied victim who gets tough and comes back to teach the bullies a lesson.

Bullying exacts a toll on everyone it touches. The bullies have learned a way of relating to others that most will use throughout their lives. Those who are bullied carry the pain and loneliness with them forever. Even bystanders are not unaffected. Many walk away from seeing another being victimized by a bully or group of bullies with their own sense of powerlessness reinforced.

There is only one way to put a stop to bullying – Education. Teaching teachers, students, factory workers, secretaries, mothers and fathers – everyone - to recognize and react to bullying with positive, proactive tactics empowers us all to put an end to the victimization of the less powerful by the more powerful.

The aim of this website is to further education on the subject of bullying and to arm you with tactics and techniques to use, whether you are the parent of a bullied child or a bully, the victim of a bullying coworker, or a caring relative who is witnessing the bullying of a loved one.  No one has to be powerless in the face of a bully. I hope that the knowledge, tools and tips offered here help you to take a stand against bullying in your community.