Bullying has been a hot topic in the news lately.  It has been an issue in schools for decades, yet it is suddenly receiving increased media and legislative attention secondary to a series of suicide tragedies across the country.  The same phenomenon has also occurred in other countries, notably Norway, and they report that improved legislation and intervention for bullying has decreased the amount and the number of suicides secondary to it.  Children often experience anxiety when they have been a victim of bullying, and their academic performance and self-esteem can be affected.  Massachusetts has taken an important step to decrease bullying in schools, and other states are considering whether or not to follow.  Here’s why:

Bullying statistics

Every 7 minutes a child is bullied. Adult intervention occurs in only 4% of the incidences, peer intervention occurs in 11%, and no intervention occurs 85% of the time.  These numbers are concerning, and perhaps reflect how difficult it is to detect bullying and understand from afar which incidences are causing serious distress in the victim.  I have heard school counselors and teachers state that “kids have to work out peer situations for themselves” which reflects an ambivalence some adults report about when and who should intervene.

77% of students are bullied mentally, verbally, & physically. This statistic reminds us that while some children are targeted more than others, more students experience bullying than not during middle and high school.  While overall violence has decreased slightly in schools, there has been a huge increase in cyber-bullying.  Increased use of technology among teens has provided new ways to bully and a sense of “anonymity” and distance from the reaction of their victim.

All forms of bullying were significantly associated with increases in suicidal ideation, and 20% of respondents reported seriously thinking about attempting suicide (Hinduja & Patchin, cyberbullying research center, 2010).  While it is clear to most people that bullying is wrong and should be prevented, this statistic calls our attention the most to this important topic.  Bullying creates suffering and anxiety in its victims, but for many it is so distressing that they no longer want to live.  This may also be related to how well the victim feels people understand their experience and are working to help them resolve it.  It is important for all parents and adults involved in a child’s life to ensure that they feel safe at home, in school, and in cyberspace.

Massachusetts New Law

In May of 2010, anti-bullying legislation called Chapter 92 was unanimously passed by Massachusetts’ House and Senate, and the Governor signed it immediately.  This followed the highly publicized deaths of 3 Massachusetts children by suicide which was clearly related to bullying incidences.  Chapter 92 is the strongest anti-bullying legislation in the country, and it is considered by some to be a pilot for other states to follow.  The law is based on the legislation Norway created to address their “bullycide” incidences, a term created to mean suicides resulting from bullying, which has resulted in a dramatic reduction.

Because bullying leads to increased anxiety and depression in children and adolescents, I am encouraging parents and educators to familiarize themselves with the legislation to ensure that they are prepared to advocate for their children/students if a bullying incident occurs.  Also, if the child is considered a potential target of bullying their parents/school personnel should proactively put measures in place to prevent victimization before it happens.  Below is a summary of the main points of Chapter 92, and a list of resources available to parents and educators.

Chapter 92: An act relative to bullying in schools (Approved May 3, 2010)

See http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/seslaw10/sl100092.htm for a copy of the full legislation.

Highlights of the law:

• Defines Bullying and Cyber-bullying comprehensively.
• Prohibits Bullying and Cyber-bullying on school grounds and off, either with school technology or with personal devices
• Requires schools to educate staff and students about bullying and its impact
• Requires schools to have a plan to handle bullying comprehensively
• Requires IEP’s of potential victims to address the skills and proficiencies needed to avoid & respond to bullying
• Requires ongoing professional development for school teachers, staff and administrators
• Holds principals accountable for ensuring that the plan is implemented and maintained according to guidelines
• Requires any adults working in schools to report incidents immediately and the school to investigate all reports promptly
• Specifies interventions post-investigation
• Requires schools to collaborate and work with law enforcement
• Describes two charges that may be filed against a perpetrator and the accompanying punishments if found guilty:
  • Crime of Stalking: shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than 5 years or by a fine of not more than $1,000, or imprisonment in the house of correction for not more than 2 ½ years or by both such fine and imprisonment
  • Crime of Criminal Harassment: shall be punished by imprisonment in a house of correction for not more than 2 ½ years or by a fine of not more than $1,000, or by both such fine and imprisonment
• Calls for the formation of a special commission to review the General Laws and consider potential amendments, and to investigate all reported bullying incidents that require law enforcement intervention.  The special commission consists of:
  • Attorney General (Chair)
  • Representative of MA District Attorneys Assoc.
  • Representative of MA Chiefs of Police
  • Representative of MA Sheriffs’ Association
  • Representative of MA Association of School Committees
  • Representative of MA Association of School Superintendents
  • Representative of Association of Independent Schools in NE who represents a MA school

Resources for Parents and Educators

• What to do if your child is being bullied: Health Resources and Services Administration http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/publications/allpubs/bullying/SBN_Tip_21.pdf
• Cyberbully.org
• Stopcyberbullying.org
• Cyberbullying.us
• Olweus, Dan, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway, olweus@psyhp.uib.no
• Handbook of bullying in schools: An international perspective. (2009) Jimerson, Shane R. (Ed.); Swearer, Susan M. (Ed.); Espelage, Dorothy L. (Ed.)New York, NY: Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.
• The Bullying Prevention Handbook: A Guide for Principals, Teachers, and Counselors by John H. Hoover and Ronald L Oliver
• Bullying Prevention for Schools: A Step-by-Step Guide to Implementing a Successful Anti-Bullying Program by Allan L. Beane
• Bullyproof Your Child For Life: Protect Your Child from Teasing, Taunting, and Bullying for Good by Joel Haber and Jenna Glatzer
• Protect Your Child from Bullying: Expert Advice to Help You Recognize, Prevent, and Stop Bullying Before Your Child Gets Hurt by Allan L. Beane
• The Everything Parent’s Guide to Dealing with Bullies: From playground teasing to cyber bullying, all you need to ensure your child’s safety and happiness (Everything Series) by Deborah Carpenter and Christopher J. Ferguson
• Bullying in Schools – Is Your Child Being Bullied? What You Can Do as a Parent by Joy Adams
• The Bully Solution: A Parent’s Guide: Effective and Practical Ways to Empower Your Child and Stop Bullying in Its Tracks by Carol S. McMullen
• Podcasts: StopBullyingNow! And The Circle of Respect
• iPhone App:  Bully Shield! $.99

Resources from Mass.gov

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the Governor’s Task Force on Hate Crimes and the Massachusetts Commission on GLBT Youth developed  Direct from the Field: A Guide to Bullying Prevention which provides tools and strategies for working with  bullies, targets and bystanders.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS) provides a fact sheet entitled Best Practices in Bullying Prevention and Intervention which details strategies which interested parties can implement to improve school climate and make schools safer for all who attend.

Stop Bullying Now! is a USDHHS website which offers interactive, Web-based activities for young people to help them understand how to get help if they are the target, the witness or the aggressor in a bullying situation.

The National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center is sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and provides links to a wide variety of resources for students, parents, educators, and law enforcement professionals seeking strategies and solutions to bullying problems.

Final Word

We will all need to work together to ensure that this legislation provides the safety net children need to feel that they can either avoid being bullied or get help when they are bullied.  It is my hope that it will eliminate bullycide altogether.  No child should have to feel that suicide is the only option they have to resolve victimization!