Why is education about bullying so important in schools?

by Carolyn Aston, CASSE School Program Director

Consider the following: ‘Bullying is an intra and inter-generational phenomenon, with children who bully others at the age of 14 years likely to still engage in aggression at the age of 32 years and to have children who themselves engage in bullying and aggression.’ (Ybarra, <. (2004). Linkages between depressive symptomology and internet harassment among young regular internet users. Cyberpsychology and behaviour, 7(2), 247-257)

At CASSE we recognise that bullying is a PROCESS not a PERSON and that any of us can take up the position of bully, target, or bystander. We teach this to our schools and emphasise how someone in a bully ROLE needs an AUDIENCE to help them feel more powerful. Therefore we encourage our schools to avoid being in the BYSTANDER or AUDIENCE role and to assume an UPSTANDER role instead – to STAND UP FOR the person in the TARGET role and STAND UP TO the person in the BULLY ROLE to stop their behaviour.

In some cases, some individuals can become STUCK in a TARGET or BULLY role or be a TARGET in some places and lash out, at others. These children, teenagers or adults may benefit from professional assessment and counselling.