Profiles of bullies and victims in school settings

Bullying can effectively affect the well-being of a student at not only the physical but also the emotional level. In that regard, there exists a need for schools to come up with strategies on how to minimize the same. In this text, I develop the profile of bullies and their victims. Further, I highlight the impact of bullying and how it can be prevented.

What is Bullying?

School bulling in basic terms has got to do with all forms of harassment that take place within the school premises. The said harassment is in most cases peer-to-peer. This is the meaning of bullying that will be adopted in this text. According to Spielberger (2004), bulling has a number of essential elements, that is: "It is intentional, it is repeated over time, and there is an imbalance of power between the bully and the victim."

Bullying: Profiles of the Bully and the Victim

A Victim's Profile

Just like is the case with most bullies, victims of bullying also exhibit a number of distinct characteristics. It is however important to note from the onset that "one cannot explain the bullying as a consequence of the victims themselves being provocative to their peers" (Huesmann, 1994). To begin with, students with submissive personalities are more likely to be bullied than those with assertive personalities. For instance, a child who cries at the least provocation could be a target of bullies who derive pleasure from touting others. The fact that a submissive student cannot defend him or herself makes such a student a perfect victim for bullying.

Next, it is also important to note that in comparison to their counterparts who do not experience bullying, victims of the same tend to be introverts with fewer friends. In a way, students in this category could be victims of peer rejection and for this reason; they tend to be rather isolated. This makes them easy targets for bullying. Further, victims of bullying as Huesmann (1994) points out tend to be a lot more insecure than their counterparts who do not experience bullying. The author also notes that victims in this case come across as being rather quiet and cautious. Bullies tend to be aware that bullying quiet and cautious students has minimal repercussions as such students are unlikely to speak out or report the matter to school authorities.

Further, like I have already pointed out elsewhere in this text, victims of bullying are more likely than not to be physically weaker than their counterparts who engage in bullying. This according to Huesmann (1994) is more so the case if the said victims happen to be boys. The pain tolerance levels of victims could also be significantly low.

Minimizing Bullying in Schools

The impact bullying has on victims is largely negative. For instance, on the academic front, Rigby (2007) points out that bullying could affect the concentration levels of students who happen to be victims of the same. Further, as Rigby further notes, research studies conducted in the past have clearly shown that the health of children who happen to be victims of bullying at school could be seriously affected. In that regard, the need to minimize bullying in schools cannot be overstated.

To stop or minimize bullying in schools, school administrators must recognize that bulling is an activity that does not take place openly. In that regard, inquiries into the same need not be public. Here, students could be handed anonymous questionnaires designed to establish whether or not there is any form of bullying taking place at the institution. This could help in the identification of the likely perpetrators as well as the possible victims so as to immediately institute corrective measures. Secondly, schools should consider organizing regular seminars on the subject. Such seminars should be designed to sensitize students on the negative impacts of bullying amongst other things. Schools must also have in place clear rules on bullying behavior and the consequences of the same. In addition to formulating such rules, the school should also ensure that the said rules are adhered to and enforced.

Conclusion

The minimization of bulling in schools should be seen as a way of creating a secure and safe environment for learning. It should however be noted that for bullying to be completely wiped out, all stakeholders need to join hands in an attempt to discourage this rather disruptive behavior. Stakeholders in this case include but they are not limited to school administrators, teachers, and students.