2.1 The protagonists of bullying

Bullying is a relational phenomenon in which there are at least two co-players, but there is also the participation of other actors.

Thus, there are several figures:

● The child or young person (CYP) engaged in bullying behaviour: is actually the one who commits acts of bullying.

● The helper: he is a follower of the CYP engaged in bullying behaviour. He often acts in a bullying manner as well.

● The supporter: is the one who by laughing, inciting or simply observing tends to reinforce the bully's behavior

● The target: is the one who suffers the bullying.

● The upstander or defender: is the one who stands up for the victim by trying to console him or her or to make the bullying stop

● The outsider: is a passive bystander who tries to stay out of the situation



The CYP engaged in bullying behaviour

There are different types of bullies. In general, the definition refers to a person who feels the need to dominate over others, feels a strong need for power and self-assertion, and tries to impose their wishes or dominance on another person or group. The CYP engaged in bullying behaviour tends to seek to dominate others by instilling fear, targeting weaker or defenceless members of the group, and seeking to recruit the complicity of other group members (bystanders). In most cases he/she uses physical force, relational dominance, or social popularity within the group to achieve their objective: he/she usually has a physical build that allows him/her to do so and is frequently supported by supposed helpers. 

CYP who engage in bullying behaviour can do so for many reasons. In fact, there is evidence that CYP can switch roles depending on circumstance or people. There is also evidence that those who engage in bullying behaviour can also have low self-esteem, be vulnerable, or have experienced bullying themselve. Typically, he/she is a person who likes to stand up for him/herself, who presents dominant personality and a decidedly impulsive temperament, which easily manifests itself when he feels under pressure. The intention is to frighten others into perceiving their strength and power and to try to gain control over the victim. In reality, those that engage in bullying behaviour towards others may be a fragile person who uses this behavior to hide their perceived "flaws" as best he/she can. 


The target

The individual targeted within a bullying interaction generally presents as someone who differs or is distinct from the perceived norms or expectations of the group. Research has shown that regular targeted individuals in bullying share a number of key features. These are

The outcomes of being targeted by bullying interactions can mean these young people become more anxious and insecure than others. They may also become socially withdrawn and have low self esteem or views of themselves.  

Some indicators of violence are encountered in the victim:

Bystanders

Bystanders are students who witness bullying.  They can be powerful influencers — how they react can either encourage or inhibit those who bully others.  There are different types of bystanders:

Bystanders can play a number of different roles:

Bystanders who take no action or behave in ways that give silent approval (watching, nodding, turning a blind eye) encourage the bullying behaviour to continue. Teaching bystanders to respond appropriately (by discouraging, intervening in or reporting bullying) can be an effective way to limit and prevent bullying.



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ACTIVITY

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Revision #3
Created 28 July 2023 10:49:26 by Gaia Terenzi
Updated 28 July 2023 11:03:06 by Gaia Terenzi