Bullying

Fact: Bullying causes serious harm

Bullying causes a number of social, physical and mental health problems. Compared to children who do not report involvement in bullying problems:

• Children who are bullied suffer more headaches, stomachaches, depression and anxiety. Mental health problems associated with bullying tend to last until later in life.
• Children who bully, and those who are bullied, are at greater risk of suicide.
• Children who bully, and those who are bullied, will be more likely to miss school, show little interest in their studies and suffer poor grades.
• Children who bully are more likely to use drugs and alcohol and engage in criminal activity. According to one of the world’s leading researchers on bullying, 60% of boys who frequently bullied others in elementary school had criminal records by age 24.

Solution: Bullying is a disrespectful peer relationship problem. It is essential to identify and help children early – both those who bully others and those at risk of being bullied – in order to support the development of healthy relationships.

Solution: To ensure that children have healthy and productive relationships, bullying prevention programs and strategies must include and support all children, whether they are bullying, being bullied or witnessing bullying.

-Excerpt from Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence Network (PREVNet), found at www.prevnet.ca.