Bullying A Class discussion

Non-Obvious Bullying Is it possible for friends to bully their friends? How is this possible?

Social Bullying Within Friendship Groups Social bullying, sometimes referred to as relational bullying, involves hurting someone’s reputation or relationships. Social bullying includes: Leaving someone out on purpose Telling other children not to be friends with someone Spreading rumours about someone Embarrassing someone in public The law also says: Schools have the legal power to make sure pupils behave outside of school premises. This includes bullying that happens anywhere off the school premises. School staff can also choose to report bullying to the police or local council.

Social Bullying Within Friendship Groups This is now becoming common amongst school pupils – it is a discrete form of bullying. Sometimes those who are doing the bullying don’t realise how bad the effects of this type of bullying can be. They may not even realise they are doing it because it has become a part of their normal behaviour! This type of bullying can have devastating effects on the victim: low confidence, stomach-aches, not wanting to come to school, wanting to change school, isolated. This can also lead to having negative effects in the home-life of the victim as they would be scared to tell anyone because they would be called ‘snitch’ or ‘snake’. RESPOND TO THE FOLLOWING SCENARIOS

What is wrong here? How does the victim feel? A group of boys who are friends have an argument and fall-out. However, the school staff sort this out and the boys agree to forget about it and move on. However, one person in the group feels the rest of the boys keep on targeting him by bringing up the argument whenever they can (even though everyone agreed to move on and forgive each other). Social Bullying Within Friendship Groups

What is wrong here? How does the victim feel? A group of 6 boys and girls who live near each other meet at a certain point and then walk to school together every morning. However, when everyone arrives, 5 of them walk together and leave 1 of them walking behind them, even though this 1 person also waited for them. This happens every day. This 1 person then decides not to meet up with this group of friends the next week because they exclude this person. However, the 5 other members of the group criticise this 1 person for not waiting for them. Social Bullying Within Friendship Groups

What is wrong here? How does the victim feel? Someone uploads a funny picture on social media. A pupil, who is a friend of the original poster, posts an innocent comment about this photo. The rest of the circle of friends start ‘indirecting’ this person with their comments and mocking this person for their comment for no reason. In person, they laugh at each other’s jokes but when this individual tries to participate, they deliberately don’t laugh. Social Bullying Within Friendship Groups

What is wrong here? How does the victim feel? During PE, the teacher asks the pupils to get into groups – everyone picks their friendship groups but the groups turn out uneven. The PE teacher asks one of the groups to let another move to another. This group of friends all stare at 1 of their friends to indicate they should leave their group. Social Bullying Within Friendship Groups

What is wrong here? How does the victim feel? A group of friends always wait for each other after school, even if one of them has a detention or finishes late. However, if one particular pupil finishes late or has a detention, the rest of the group don’t wait for this person, even if this person always waits for them. If this person doesn’t wait for their friends, the friends get angry at this person for not waiting even though they don’t wait themselves for this person. Social Bullying Within Friendship Groups

What is wrong here? How does the victim feel? Jay has other friends outside his friendship circle. However, when the friendship circle see Jay with his other friends, they try to take his friends away by always calling them over and speaking to them instead of Jay. Jay feels like the ‘powerful’ people in his friendship group are taking his other friends away from him. He is also noticing that his other friends act differently when his friendship circle is around, rather than how they normally act. Jay feels isolated – when he hangs out with his friendship circle, they exclude him. When he hangs out with other people, his friendship circle take them away. Social Bullying Within Friendship Groups

Social bullying is one of the worst types of bullying, especially if you are doing it to your (so called) friends! If you thought that the effects will disappear soon then you are wrong. For a victim, the impact of being constantly reduced in front of others is way more deep-seated than a few bruises on the face. It can cause bigger problems, like anxiety and depression. Professionals confirm that the memories of social bullying can be the cause of these serious problems in the early adulthood. Being anxious or depressed can cause problems with society, like having trouble with making friends or finding a career. In worst cases, it can be the cause of extreme consequences, such as suicide. All these consequences are caused by low self-esteem and confidence.

Consequences If anyone is found carrying out this type of bullying (or any bullying for that matter), it will be dealt with very seriously. Anyone who is made to feel threatened by others if they tell a teacher will be dealt with very seriously. Bullying, especially like this, can harm the life of someone.