STOP BULLYING NEWS

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Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Australian Youth Forum | Australian Youth Forum

Australian Youth Forum | Australian Youth Forum

The Australian Youth Forum (AYF) is the Australian Government’s way to engage with young Australians. The AYF gives you the opportunity to have your ideas heard. The AYF encourages young people to get involved in ongoing public discussions and then uses your input in the development of public policy.
Have a say "Get involved and share your views and opinions about the issues that matter to you."

Body Image Information Sheets

Body Image Information Sheets
Government site where you can download fact sheets about body image information

Youngstown News, Downturn in economy brings uptick in bullying, officials say

Youngstown News, Downturn in economy brings uptick in bullying, officials say
Barbara Coloroso is recognized as a national bullying expert and wrote the book “The Bully, the Bullied and the Bystander.” She said bullying is not as simple as mean kids picking on the outcasts.
“Part of the problem is that we fail to discern the difference between normal, necessary and natural conflict and bullying,” she said. “This is not about conflict but utter contempt ...Once I feel contempt for someone, I can do anything without feeling compassion.”
Coloroso said that behavior can be traced to parents who make offhand comments about people of another religion or race, meant seriously or not.
“Kids learn very young that people are different, but they have to be taught that they’re less than you,” she said.
Coloroso cites dozens of examples of extreme bullying in her book from across the country. Many were ignored by authorities, went undetected by parents or teachers or resulted in suicide.
“We ignore this at our children’s peril,” Coloroso said, adding that every complaint should be taken seriously.
“If it’s reported and affects the school climate at all, we have an obligation to deal with it,” she said.
It is going to take a long time to decrease bullying in our schools, but if we do not address it we will suffer the consequences in our homes, streets and communities.

Debate Opinion: Students to take anti-bullying classes at G-D scho...

Debate Opinion: Students to take anti-bullying classes at G-D scho...: "Students to take anti-bullying classes at G-D schools - Nashoba Publishing Online Middle-school principal Steve Silverman said after the for..."

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Troubled preteens may become delinquents | Canada | News | Toronto Sun

Troubled preteens may become delinquents | Canada | News | Toronto Sun
MONTREAL — Preteens dabbling in vandalism, bullying and truancy are more likely to be in trouble with the law as teenagers, according to a new study by Montreal researchers.
Eric Lacourse, the study’s lead author, also said the way we deal with kids showing signs of so- called ‘conduct disorder’ may actually be detrimental.
“What we found in the research group was that youth who were sent through the legal system or placed in youth detention ended up worse,” he said.
“We haven’t developed the techniques to reduce conduct problems, but we know what doesn’t work. That’s already a step in the right direction.”
"Conduct disorders" refers to a group of behavioural problems seen in youth. Children and teens displaying these problems are involved in everything from physical aggression and property damage to more small-time rule breaking like lying, shoplifting and skipping school.
University of Montreal researchers looked at 4,125 youth when they were between 12 and 13, and again when they were between 14 and 15.
A small percentage – 1.4% - had severe conduct problems while another 13% of them showed non-aggressive symptoms of the disorder.
The more troubled kids – the ones who regularly stole, destroyed property, bullied other kids and got into fights – were found to be six times more likely to sell drugs, eight times more likely to be arrested, nine times more likely to join a gang and 11 times more likely to carry a weapon as teenagers than their peers.
But the psychologist also found that the preteens with the more mild symptoms of the disorder also had a greater risk a getting in trouble later on.
“Despite the symptoms that seemed trivial they were still at a risk for serious delinquency later,” he said.
He said it indicated that teachers and parents shouldn’t just brush off these behaviours as youthful high jinks.
The research was published in the December issue of the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.

Avoiding the pitfalls of bullying, teen depression - The Prescott Daily Courier - Prescott, Arizona

Avoiding the pitfalls of bullying, teen depression - The Prescott Daily Courier - Prescott, Arizona
"Your kids need to be prepared for bullying, and they need to know that the resources are at home to help them counter it," Danielle said. "I would like the schools to be more legally equipped to take a stronger stand on bullying, and it should be brought up on a state level where teachers can do more."

Friday, December 24, 2010

Quotes about bullying

Courage is fire, and bullying is smoke.
Everyone who wants to do good to the human race always ends in universal bullying.
Bullies are always cowards at heart and may be credited with a pretty safe instinct in scenting their prey.
Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life, but define yourself.

Involve students in stopping bullying - CNN.com

Involve students in stopping bullying - CNN.com
First, bystanders shouldn't support bullies with attention, laughter or anything that could make them proud of what they've done. Bullies aren't usually bullying out of anger; they're trying to get something they want, like approval or social status. And in general, they need witnesses for that. So bystanders who see bullying should respond in such a way that the bully feels isolated afterward -- not more powerful or popular, not encouraged. Taking away the reward for the behavior can take away the inspiration for it.
Second, witnesses should support the targeted students. Another takeaway from the IBPA conference: Victims who've had someone defend them -- even if was just a single peer -- are better adjusted than undefended victims of bullying. So whether it's through kindness to the victim, discouragement to the bully or alerting a teacher, if a bystander stands up for a victim, the latter will probably have more strength to cope.
We already know what doesn't work when trying to stop bullying. Telling kids not to tattle does nothing to help them work through the problem; telling them that the bully will grow out of it or that people get nicer in high school and in college -- even if that's what we remember happening -- also falls on deaf ears. But empowering bystanders to take action can help alleviate the severity of bullying throughout the school.

Monday, December 20, 2010

Debate Opinion: Could teaching empathy stop bullying? Is empathy ...

Debate Opinion:
Could teaching empathy stop bullying? Is empathy ...
: "Could teaching empathy stop bullying? Is empathy the answer and if so, what is the responsibility of the media and programs such as Austral..."

Human species are supposed to evolve not go back to pre-historic times.
Bullies have lack of empathy and parents, schools and the media should play a role in teaching society empathy.
We all need less violence and more happiness.

Offline fix for cyber bullying - Local News - News - General - The Canberra Times

Offline fix for cyber bullying - Local News - News - General - The Canberra Times
Two out of three parents think children don't understand the implications of cyberbullying.
Telstra's latest cybersafety research reveals that 62per cent of parents with children aged between 10 and 17 believe children fail to connect cyberbullying with its repercussions even though 95per cent of those parents have discussed internet safety issues with their children.
The Alannah and Madeline Foundation's cybersafety general manager Jackie Van Vugt said the results showed that in addition to discussing individual safety, parents needed to talk to their children about how their online conduct might affect others.
''Cyberbullying can be quite traumatic for young people,'' she said. ''They can often feel more alone than if the bullying was occurring in person and where there's a chance someone may hear or see something and intervene.''
Ms Van Vugt said there was a range of ways children could become involved in cyberbullying, many of which were not obvious.
''Children often become involved in cyberbullying by passing on or commenting on damaging material, rather than creating it,'' she said. ''And it can be hard for kids to understand that they are actually hurting someone online because they can't see the other person's face or sense the emotional impact.''
Ms Van Vugt said there were some easy ways parents could explain to children what was acceptable or not online.
''A good way to help your child understand whether their online behaviour is acceptable is to ask them if they'd be willing to stand up at school assembly and share what they've done,'' she said.

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A better way to help every child will be for schools to have an anti-bullying information and discussions added to school curriculum such as PDHPE.

Australia would be smart to recognize the harm done and take steps to stop it

School bully victims paid $1m | The Daily Telegraph
SCHOOL bullying victims have received almost $1 million in compensation from the Department of Education since January last year.
One student who was harassed over 10 years won $500,000 in a court settlement, while two children were paid more than $15,000 each after their arms were broken by bullies.
Another boy was paid more than $4200 because he claimed harassment by teachers caused him to fail his HSC.
The claims, which include both physical and severe psychological injuries up to September 30, were obtained under freedom of information laws by the Opposition.
The figures show students whose claims were settled by the department received less than those who went to court.
A student who claimed to have been assaulted and that bullying caused a psychiatric illness was given $11,636.
The claims coincide with the Child Death Review Team this year that revealed several students committed suicide in 2009 after being bullied.
One boy who claimed to suffer from gender identity disorder was "teased and threatened" at school.
Another boy was driven out of school by "taunts" in the lead-up to his suicide, while a third boy was also the subject of "taunts and bullying" while at his school.
The compensation claims show staff won payouts of more than $5000 between them over bullying cases, including ongoing sexual harassment in the school workplace and bullying and victimisation by a superior.
"These documents confirm that bullying is rife in our public schools, with both students and teachers feeling the brunt of it," Opposition education spokesman Adrian Piccoli said yesterday.
"What is worse is the state is losing hundreds of thousands of dollars in claims from students and teachers that have been victims of bullying.
"Bullying can leave its victims with severe and lasting physical and psychological damage, and it must be stamped out immediately."
A spokesman for Education Minister Verity Firth said there were 26 claims which were "a tiny proportion" of staff and students.
"We have given principals the power to impose strong sanctions to counter bullying, including suspensions of up to 20 days," he said.
"NSW public schools are among the safest places in the community for young people, and serious incidents of violence are rare."
The department has introduced a web guide for parents on cyber bullying, including tips on how to prevent it.
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To my knowledge there is no school program to prevent bullying.
Government websites and information available are not given to school students, without mentors this problem will not be improving by itself.
Bullying is a technique for gaining power ; power that the bullies enjoy. Therefore, they will not stop at school it will continue in the workplace, family home and streets.
We need to take bullying as a real problem and action anti-bullying information and policies, no doubt it will improve students, teachers and the general population.
Australia would be smart to recognize the harm done and take steps to stop it by integrating bullying studies in their curriculum.
Education is often the key to solve all humanity problems.

Students working to keep bullying out of their school - East Oregonian: News

Students working to keep bullying out of their school - East Oregonian: News
By SAMANTHA TIPLER East Oregonian | 0 comments
Students in Pilot Rock are working to change the culture of their school.
“Bullying is not needed in our school at all,” said Joey GrosJacques.
As GrosJacques sees it, Pilot Rock’s junior and senior high schools are small. That should mean everyone is closer and friendlier, but that hasn’t always been the case.
Last March the school took a devastating blow when teacher Kevin Nice was arrested for sex crimes in March. In October, he pleaded guilty to six charges. He was sentenced to six years in prison.
His victims had been students at Pilot Rock.
In the aftermath, some students were bullying the victims.
“Kids were telling me, ‘We’ve got nobody to turn to. We don’t know who we can trust. We don’t feel supported in any way by the school,’” said Jean Guidry, a school psychologist with the Umatilla-Morrow Education Service District. “That doesn’t mean there was not support, it was just their perception.”
Guidry said she saw an “undercurrent” forming where bullying was becoming the norm.
Students saw it happening and didn’t like it.
“Bullying isn’t real prevalent at our school, but it does happen,” said Amy Lee Perrine. “Nobody needs to be bullied.”
“It’s just sad to think people are getting bullied,” said Taryn Ostrom. “I’ve been bullied. I don’t like it. I don’t want to let others get bullied.”
Ostrom, Perrine, GrosJacques and other students agreed. They decided to put a stop to it.
They formed a group called “Project Zero.” The name refers to a zero-tolerance for bullying, GrosJacques said.
Guidry was drafted into the role of helping the group of students get started at the beginning of the school year.
Guidry said she’s been amazed at how the community has come together to support the students.
“They talked to the mayor and the chief of police. They went to the booster club, the education foundation in Pilot Rock and all different groups,” she said. “They said, ‘Yeah, we want your school to be a safe place for you. What do you want from us?’”
...
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Unite and make a difference.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Sky News: Findings into effects of cyber-bullying

Sky News: Findings into effects of cyber-bullying
A new report has suggested that two in three children don't understand the effects of cyber bullying.
Research from Telstra Cyber-Safety shows 62 per cent of parents surveyed with children aged between 10 and 17 years' believe children fail to connect cyber bullying with the repercussions, despite 95 percent of parents also claiming to have discussed internet safety issues with their children.
Jackie Van Vugt, General Manager Cybersafety at The Alannah and Madeline Foundation, said parents need to talk to their children about how online conduct might affect others.
'Cyber bullying can be quite traumatic for young people. Kids who are cyber bullied can feel angry, depressed, embarrassed and sometimes scared for their safety. They can often feel more alone than if the bullying was occurring in person and where there's a chance someone may hear or see something and intervene,' Ms Van Vugt said.
'Children often become involved in cyber bullying by passing on or commenting on damaging material, rather than creating it. And it can be hard for kids to understand that they are actually hurting someone online because they can't see the other person's face or sense the emotional impact,'
'A good way to help your child understand whether their online behaviour is acceptable is to ask them if they'd be willing to stand up at school assembly and share what they've done. If their answer is 'no', then they shouldn't be willing to do it online either.'

Friday, December 10, 2010

DBCDE - eSecurity - Primary

DBCDE - eSecurity - Primary


Try this fun game where you can build your own cyber security Buddie. Click on the link to start.

The following tips and resources will also provide you with additional information so you can have a fun, safe and secure time on the internet.

Cybersafety help button download page | Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy

Cybersafety help button download page | Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy
Download this button for information and help dealing with bullying and safety. A great safety tool.

Bullying caution - Local News - News - General - Tenterfield Star

Bullying caution - Local News - News - General - Tenterfield Star
Senior Constable Halliday, the police liaison officer for the high school, focused on cyber bullying, telling the students harassment occurs when one person is made to feel threatened or uncomfortable.
He said courts focused on how the victim felt when being harassed when making a ruling, not what the person committing the harassment had intended.
Through a number of case studies, including an example where a young student committed suicide after prolonged bullying, Senior Constable Halliday demonstrated to the students the lasting consequences of cyber bullying.
“Everyone has the right to come to school and not be bullied. My message from all of this is there is only one group who can stop the bullying – you,” he said.
Under the Crimes Act 1900 s60E students could be liable for five years imprisonment for non-physical harassment at school.
If bodily harm is caused through harassment at school, the penalty could increase to seven years, and if permanent injury is caused, the courts could potentially hand out a 12-year sentence.

'Don't feed the bully' | TimesDaily.com | The Times Daily | Florence, AL

Dont feed the bully; | TimesDaily.com | The Times Daily | Florence, AL
“It's a big difference in speaking in general terms when it's understood you're just joking around and in pinpointing people and making them a target,” Tassell said. “It becomes bullying when that ‘playing around' is continuous and is happening to someone over and over. Kids throughout this country are scared, feeling like they have no way out and no way to escape.”

Empowering Our Kids: Stopping bullies before they start – amFIX - CNN.com Blogs

Empowering Our Kids: Stopping bullies before they start – amFIX - CNN.com Blogs
Parents and educators are always on the lookout for new ways to address the problem of bullying. What if there were a way to keep kids from becoming bullies in the first place?
For more than 10 years, a program in Canada has been doing just that. And the simple way they’re doing it might surprise you.
In part two of our series "Empowering Our Kids," American Morning's Kiran Chetry went to Toronto, Ontario, to look at the program, called "Roots of Empathy," and see how it’s working.

The Press Association: Duhamel reveals childhood bullying

The Press Association: Duhamel reveals childhood bullying
Josh Duhamel has revealed he was bullied for sticking out at school.
"I was a big, gangly awkward kid," the actor said in Hollywood.
The Transformers star hit the red carpet for a special fundraiser for The Trevor Project which focuses on suicide prevention for gay young people in the States.
"[The bullying was] maybe not to the degree that some of these kids are going through, but I can definitely understand," he said.
He added: "I want them to know that I support them and things are going to get better."

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Cybersafety help button download page | Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy

Cybersafety help button download page | Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy
The cybersafe help button can be downloaded free and allows a one-stop access point to counselling, education and reporting services.

Digital Economy Minister Stephen Conroy says users can also access links to report scams and inappropriate content.

"In line with the government's objective of promoting safe participation in the digital economy, the cybersafety help button will provide internet users, particularly children and young people, with easy and immediate online assistance to important cybersafety information and assistance," he said.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Subscribe to Stay Smart Online to receive the lastest computer network threats

Stay Smart OnlineThe Stay Smart Online Alert Service is a free subscription based service that provides home users and small to medium enterprises with information on the latest computer network threats and vulnerabilities in simple, non-technical, easy to understand language. It will also provide solutions to help manage these risks.

Stay Smart Online-Fun Game where you can build your own cyber security Buddie

Stay Smart Online
Kids to have a good time on the internet, you need to keep yourself cyber safe and cyber secure.

We have a fun game here where you can build your own cyber security Budd:e. Click on the picture to start.

The following tips and resources will also provide you with additional information so you can have a fun, safe and secure time on the internet.

Information and tips on using social networking sites

Stay Smart Online
The following page provides information and tips on using social networking sites safely, dealing with cyber bullying and online grooming and how to secure your mobile phone as well as links to other resources.

Australia cyber e-security education package

Stay Smart Online
The Budd:e E-security Education Package is a series of media-rich learning activities developed for Australian primary and secondary schools. It is designed to help raise students cyber security awareness so they can stay smart online.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Bullying Part of Life for Kids With Asthma - ABC News

Bullying Part of Life for Kids With Asthma - ABC News
VANCOUVER -- One in 10 kids with asthma reports bullying or teasing related to the condition; its impact on other aspects of life varies from country to country, researchers found.
"It's not something as a physician we ask our children," he noted in an interview. "We think kids wouldn't do that, but it appears we're wrong and it is quite common."
The findings overall emphasize the need to talk to pediatric asthma patients about bullying specifically as well as what other impact their disease may be having on their life, he said.

Why aren't we teaching our children principles such as compassion and empathy to others less fortunate? What kind of future is humanity aspiring to?

CathBlog - Adult bullying a social disease - CathNews

CathBlog - Adult bullying a social disease - CathNews
Adult bullying is a widespread form of abuse. It is exists in all forms of employment, cultures and organisations, including churches.
It is emotional terrorisation that can paralyse the victim. Indeed it is this powerlessness and subjugation that gives this type of violence its uniqueness.
The human and financial costs are extensive. It is estimated that in Western societies one-third to one-half of all stress-related illnesses are due to bullying at the workplace.
Bullying is the abuse of power. Individuals, groups or institutions driven by fear of their own inadequacies, seek to demean persons or groups, who are normally not in a position to defend themselves, for example women in patriarchal churches, people questioning the status quo.
Bullies will try all kinds of intimidation or terrorisation, some extremely subtle, to force people to comply. It could be constant nitpicking or fault-finding, sarcastic remarks, excessive work demands, excessive numbers of memos or letters, passive aggression, refusing to speak to a person. It could be withholding information to maintain power over the victim.
It could be breaking physical, role and emotional boundaries. For example, a bully can enter the physical territory, e.g. office space, get access to private files and computer information, without permission. Abusive language and gestures are forms of emotional invasion.
In cyber-bullying the violator uses e-mail systems or internet forums to send aggressive mails to victims. The impersonal Bullying is not a rational process, so avoid, if possible, avoid being alone with them. Seek advice.
....
We non-victims must find ways to help. If not, we collude with bullies and share in their guilt.

Anti-Bullying Website developed and managed by Australian Authorities

BULLYING. NO WAY!
A RESOURCE WEBSITE FOR STUDENTS, PARENTS AND TEACHERS.
Developed and managed by all Australian education authorities
for use by Australia's Government, Catholic and Independent school communities.

Students campaign against bullying | battlecreekenquirer.com | The Enquirer

Students campaign against bullying | battlecreekenquirer.com | The Enquirer
Four teens stood before their classmates on Friday at Lakeview Middle School, duct tape wrapped around their legs and across their abdomens.
"STOP BULLYING" was written in big block letters on the tape.
The tape and handmade posters adorned with anti-bullying, pro-unity slogans -- "Love your brother from another mother" -- were part of the group's plan to stop taunting at their school.
Theirs was one of several campaigns developed in English teacher Teri Bussler's classes, an assignment she developed after hearing a Monday speech in Battle Creek by Kevin Epling, co-director of Bully Police USA and father to a bullied suicide victim.
Bussler's students, broken into small groups, were asked to develop anti-bullying campaigns and plan how students could prevent teasing. On Friday, each group presented to their class. Later, they will present to other classes, Bussler said. Then their campaigns could be rolled out schoolwide.
Fourteen-year-old Kourtney Kipp said older kids should mentor younger kids, setting good examples in the hall. She attended the Monday speech and said she learned one thing:
"You shouldn't bully, period," she said.
Gavin Brandt, also 14, said his group focused on gossip, which he said was a big problem at his school. His group's slogan: "Hear it. Stop it. Solve it. End it." He also attended the Monday forum and said students have the most responsibility to end bullying.
"They see most of it," Brandt said. "They know what's going on and they have to stand up to it."
Megan Miller, 13, duct tape on her leg, told her classmates Friday, "You could save a life."

BERNAMA - Italian Police Shut Down Bullying Facebook Page

BERNAMA - Italian Police Shut Down Bullying Facebook Page
ROME, Dec 4 (Bernama) -- The Italian postal police on Friday blocked a Facebook page, used by a baby-gang to bully and harass one of their classmates, according to a report by China's Xinhua news agency.
The bullies had created a Facebook page where they cruelly harassed the kid, insulting and calling him all sorts of names, even threatening him. They also invited other viewers via online to treat and abuse the child in the same way.
Therefore, the Minors' Court has accused a total of seven children aged 14 as "on-line abuses" against a boy in their same classroom.
The victim, after six months of persecution, was so scared that he initially changed class and then even dropped out of school, preferring to stay home.
The bullies are also accused of "identity violation" as they had posted on Facebook a photo scam of the victim, showing his face eaten up by a terrible sexual disease.
Luckily, the victim decided to tell his parents of the nightmare he was experiencing, and later, with the parents, lodged a police report regarding the incident.
After an initial investigation, the authorities decided to block access to the Facebook page and punish the young criminals.
It was the first time that the Italian police have shut down a "bullying" webpage, a proof of how dangerous social networks can sometimes be.
Bullying, like the baby-gangs, is a phenomenon which is lately on the rise in Italy.
According to sociologists, it is mainly due to class differences between children and is facilitated by the use of Internet.

Do not let the bullies isolate you.
It's the school duty to offer you a safe environment to study, and if they do not. Tell your parents, teachers, principal, minister, news, police, etc. Do not to stop, until the bullies stop.
At work document the bullying, and if the company does not address the problem you can always take it to the courts or the news.

The Tricky Politics of Tween Bullying – TIME Healthland

The Tricky Politics of Tween Bullying – TIME Healthland
Consider the numbers: An estimated half of sixth-graders are bullied in a week, and roughly four in five students report being verbally harassed in middle school. Further, in a survey by UCLA researchers, more than 70% of teens acknowledged being bullied online at least once a year. Indeed, the rate of bullying peaks when kids are 10 to 13 years old — and that's when its effects are arguably at their worst as well. (More on Time.com: When Bullying Turns Deadly: Can It Be Stopped?)
It turns out, the social standing of the bully and the victim makes a difference. The researchers found that, when a popular student bullies other kids, he or she doesn't get stigmatized; the student is exempted from what Adams calls "the blowback typically associated with aggression."
The same cannot be said for the victims of bullies, however. Victims who turn aggressive and bully other kids turn out to be the least liked kids in middle school. Worse, the findings suggest that no one cares when these kids are bullied.
"If parents and teachers assume that peers always have negative perceptions of those who behave aggressively, [then] the present study shows that this assumption is not necessarily accurate," says Kathryn LaFontana, an expert in peer relationships.
So what can parents and teachers do? To begin with, they should recognize what victimization is. "A lot of times with principals, teachers and even parents, they think, 'Oh, these are just kids being kids,'" Adams says. "But much of the aggression is much more subtle. And by ignoring them, you're reinforcing them."
How a kid attacks or reacts matters greatly too. An aggressive victim who's not proficient in schoolyard politics may react to being bullied in over-the-top ways that cut further at his social standing. And when he bullies other kids himself, it's usually not in the winsome ways of the popular kid, who knows how to get away with bad behavior. The most popular tween shrewdly uses laughter, for instance, so he doesn't come across as too mean when gossiping. (More on Time.com: How to Bully-Proof Young Girls)
"They're not likable so it might be easier for teachers to look the other way," he says. "But reaching out to them and understanding that there's a lot more behind that negative behavior you don't like might help."
And what about the popular bullies — how should they be punished? This is where things get murkier for psychologist Patricia Hawley.
"What if aggression fosters personal growth such as self-esteem and wins high regard from the social group at the same time? The fact of the matter is that effective adults use relational aggression all the time," Hawley says. "We reward them with respect and higher salaries."
For Adams, things aren't so gray. He notes that, fortunately, relational aggression becomes less and less accepted after the tween years. Still, he worries that being aggressive may be confounded with being assertive, and this may send a message that there are benefits to bullying. (More on Time.com: New Laws Target Workplace Bullying)
"There may be success at work, but there are also other issues like 'Do you feel good?' 'Are you anxious?' and 'Do you have friends?'" he says, adding, "Is relational aggression something you have to do to get ahead? I don't think so."
So what message would Adams tell victimized kids? Not surprisingly, it's a familiar one: It gets better.

Cougar News Network - Buna High School - How BHS takes a stand again bullying

Cougar News Network - Buna High School - How BHS takes a stand again bullying

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Project tackles cyber bullying | Fraser Coast News | Local News in Fraser Coast | Fraser Coast Chronicle

Project tackles cyber bullying | Fraser Coast News | Local News in Fraser Coast | Fraser Coast Chronicle
Councillor Belinda McNeven said: “A lot of cyber bullying occurs because of this Facebook phenomena. “Children are posting their feelings instantaneously, instead of taking the time to consider how they might make other people feel if they put such information up for the world to see. Kids need to think before they act. But the truth is it's just not OK to bully people.”
Hervey Bay's Cyber Safety Project committee recognised the problem bullying plays both in the schoolyard and over the internet and have given the project their utmost support.
“Fraser Coast youth workers have identified that cyber bullying is an emerging crime and hope this further initiative will help address the issue,” Ms Hammond said.
“I hope that by talking with youths I will be able to develop strategies to help parents and youths.”

Suicide pact twin wrote of bullying to Columbine survivor - World News - World - General - Newcastle Herald

Suicide pact twin wrote of bullying to Columbine survivor - World News - World - General - Newcastle Herald
DENVER, Colorado: Kristin Hermeler, who took her own life in an attempted suicide pact with her twin sister last week, wrote letters to and phoned one of the survivors of the Columbine High School massacre in 1999.
Kristin, then 18, wrote to Brooks Brown, a former friend of the killers, in the months after Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris murdered 12 students and a teacher in April 1999 at the high school in Denver's southern suburbs not far from the gun range where the two women shot themselves last week.
In the first of two letters, dated June 12, 1999, Kristin said she was writing ''as someone who has been rejected, victimised and ostracised in their life'' to thank Brown for giving Harris a second chance at friendship, adding in the second letter, a month later, ''not a day goes by that I do not think about what happened. I can't imagine how hard it must be for you, dealing with everything.''
Unless you are relentlessly bullied, you do not know the torture and pain it causes, and the emotional changes a person experiences.
Bullying is cruel and needs to be addressed if we want to create a peaceful and happy world.
To all that are bullied, unite and peacefully fight against bullying.
Do not ever waste your life or the life of others it will not change anything. If we unite and fight it peacefully, we can change the world.
Look what Mandela and Gandhi achieved.

QUT | News | Bullying parents produce bullying children

QUT | News | Bullying parents produce bullying children
Bullying parents produce bullying children
Just telling bullies that they shouldn't bully is not enough, says Associate Professor Marilyn Campbell from Queensland University of Technology's (QUT) Faculty of Education.
Professor Campbell said the negative consequences for a childhood bully were just as severe as the consequences of being a victim.
"Bullies go onto have lots of relationship issues. They have difficulty in romantic relationships. Only people who are scared of them are their companions, their henchmen, in primary school" she said.
"Bullies in primary school have been shown to be more likely to be convicted of a criminal offence before they reach their twenties than children who are not involved in bullying a 2006 study has shown.
"They also often have drug and alcohol misuse problems because they self-medicate as they haven't figured out how to have good relationships."
Professor Campbell said bullying was a learnt behaviour and that children learned from their families how to be bullies.
...
"When children see domestic violence, which can be both physical and emotional abuse, they see that unequal power can be used to get your own way. Parents may talk at the dinner table about their own bullying behaviour in the workplace and children pick that up as a method of getting what you want.
"On top of this, lots of media show that bullies win. Bullying is a deeply embedded social relationship problem."
Professor Campbell said community, not just school, resources had to be put into engaging the family of the bully to reach the parents who do not recognize or see anything wrong with bullying.

Cyber-bullying blamed for brawls - Local News - News - General - The Border Mail

Cyber-bullying blamed for brawls - Local News - News - General - The Border Mail
CYBER-bullying has been blamed for an escalation of youth violence in Albury.
“There’s been an alarming increase in the number of reports we’ve had of kids being bullied over social networking sites like Facebook where cowards get on the computer ... and put some pretty nasty comments on there,” Insp John Wadsworth, of Albury police, said.
“What we’re also finding as a result of this is there’s been a spike in assaults with young kids involved.”
Police said children as young as 10 were embroiled in the violence, with the average age being between 12 and 16.
Fights usually took place after school, between 3pm and 5pm, and at a variety of locations including skate parks and shopping centres.
“There’s been an alarming increase in the number of reports we’ve had of kids being bullied over social networking sites like Facebook where cowards get on the computer ... and put some pretty nasty comments on there,” Insp John Wadsworth, of Albury police, said.
“What we’re also finding as a result of this is there’s been a spike in assaults with young kids involved.”
Police said children as young as 10 were embroiled in the violence, with the average age being between 12 and 16.
Fights usually took place after school, between 3pm and 5pm, and at a variety of locations including skate parks and shopping centres.
“The parents have actually to teach their kids how to resolve conflicts without using their fists,” she said.

Bullying drives family from town | Rockhampton News | Local News in Rockhampton | Rockhampton Morning Bulletin

Bullying drives family from town | Rockhampton News | Local News in Rockhampton | Rockhampton Morning Bulletin
THREE years of merciless bullying has finally driven a Blackwater State High student and his family from the town.
The mother of the 16-year-old boy, who suffers from disabilities including epilepsy and diabetes, said after years of taunts and physical violence, an incident last Tuesday was the final straw.
“We've dealt with it and we've dealt with it and now I've just had enough,” she said.
“In the last three years my son has been picked up by the throat and pushed up against a brick wall, he's been punched in the arm, and he's been constantly subjected to cruel remarks.
“I have yet to find out what took place last Tuesday – he has clammed up and will not talk about it, but he was ropeable when he got back from school – really, really upset.”
The mother described her desperation as she struggled with the school and authorities to stop the bullying:
“I've been in to the school countless times.
“I've been to see the principal, and I've been to the education department. I've done absolutely everything in my power and the response is always the same: ‘We'll talk to your son, we'll talk to the bullies'. It never happens.
“Last year at school he was strangled by a child and the child wasn't even suspended.”
The constant bullying has taken its toll on her son's mental health, she said.
“He has tried to commit suicide three times – he has tried to jump in front of a car on the back streets near the school and he has also tried to overdose on insulin. He has no self-confidence and no self-esteem – he's just a wrecked little kid.”
Left with no choice but to remove her son from the school, the mother says she feels let down by the teachers and education authorities.
“The bullying should have been addressed a long time ago instead of letting it get to this point,” she said.
“I understand school-yard bullying, but this has gone way beyond that and nothing has been done.”

Bullying is very real in Australia, not long ago a lady was abused and laughed in a shopping center, because she did not have any hair due to cancer treatment, a lot of people were present and no one said anything in her defense.
Despite thousands of people being diagnosed with cancer and doing treatment, we do not see many women without hair ...maybe it is not just due to vanity.
Do you see disability people in the media or in the streets? Glee is addressing that but we need more ...
We need to be more empathic and educated about disabilities. How? Less emphasis in the looks by the magazines, and media, more on other attributes such as intelligence and good citizenship and school programs that address this type of bullying and unacceptable rules with hard consequences.
I really do not understand how children are not educated to be tolerant and humane to other people problems. Very sad indeed.
The government and the community should address bullying, the family should not have to move. what about the future abuse the bullies will cause.
They should not get away with a simple slap in the wrist, they are not learning any lessons and will continue to torture others in the future.
Not addressing this problem when they should will cause the community to have violence in their streets, workplace and in families.

Bullying must stop says Northern Ireland Minister Kelly | Northern Ireland Executive

14 October 2010 - Bullying must stop says Minister Kelly | Northern Ireland Executive
The pocket-sized booklet has been produced by the North-Belfast-based Tar Isteach Youth Project and will be distributed through local schools, youth and community centres and GP surgeries.
“Bullying is a form of abuse. This abuse can be emotional, verbal or physical and like all forms of abuse, it is totally unacceptable in a respectful and tolerant society,” said Minister Kelly.
“I do not think a bully always realises the very serious implications of their actions. Bullying is not a game and does not make anybody look ‘big’ or ‘important’. It can have long-term affects including leaving the person feeling alone, depressed or anxious. It may even leave the person feeling so desperate that they cannot see a way to get through it. That is why it is vital that this issue is addressed and, as the booklet being launched today rightly says, we all have a responsibility to stop bullying.