9th Grade Health Bullying

What is Bullying? Physical or psychological intimidation that occurs repeatedly over time Bullying can be overt (i.e., teasing, hitting, or stealing); boys are most often overt bullies Bullying can be covert (i.e., spreading rumors or exclusion); girls are most often covert bullies

Bullying CAN - Involve physical violence or verbal abuse Include damaging or stealing another individual’s possessions Involve excluding people by encouraging others to not have anything to do with them; spreading rumors

Bullies Bullies often come from homes that use physical punishment to discipline Caregivers of bullies are typically uninvolved and lack warmth Craving attention? Children who bully are often defiant toward authority figures and are apt to break rules This is not ALWAYS but OFTEN

Cyber Bullying Form of harassment using technology - Text messages, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, etc. It can sometimes be done anonymously – so you do not know who is doing it. The best way to avoid cyber-bullying is to be careful with your personal information and what you do online. **Don't put your personal information in public online places!!!**

Protect YOUR Reputation Is this a picture something I want EVERYONE to see? (Your parents, grandparents, teachers, law enforcement, college admission officers, human resource for possible job opportunity…etc.) Any picture posted on the web can be downloaded by ANYONE and or copied or posted online FOREVER… it doesn’t go away…

Harassment Sexual Harassment What is It? What you can do if it happens to you? How to avoid doing it?

Harassment What is HARASSMENT? The act of annoying: annoyance, bothering, exasperation, irritation, pestering, provocation, vexation.

What to look for, learn, and understand… Sexual Harassment Unwanted Behavior Hostile (Work) Environment Quid Pro Quo Harassment

Sexual Harassment The law defines Sexual Harassment as Sexual harassment is harassment or unwanted and unwelcome attention or behavior of a sexual nature. It interferes with your life, and your ability to function at work, home, or at school Sexual Harassment is Illegal and NEVER OK

Types of Sexual Harassment QUID PRO QUO (“This for That”) Harassment for a favor Harasser is usually an authority figure (POWER) HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT Unwelcomed sexual conduct, that limits a person’s performance in school or at work

Examples Non-Touch Touch Verbal-Name Calling Grabbing Threats Pushing Jokes Rumors Comments about Bodies Gestures Looks Leers Written notes Bathroom walls Touch Grabbing Pushing Cornering Unwanted kissing Rape Rubbing up against someone Tickling

Sexual Harassment vs. Flirting? Legal OK Wanted Compliment Feels Good Two-Way SEXUAL HARASSMENT: Illegal Never OK Unwanted Put Down Feels Bad One-Way

Who Gets to Decide? The Person getting the attention always gets to decide.

Sexual harassment may include: 1. Sex role stereotyping which is demeaning and involves unequal treatment of an individual on the basis of that person's gender. 2. Gender abuse; which can be either visual or verbal, such as the display of demeaning posters, cartoons, nudity or offensive sexual jokes about gender. 3. Visual or verbal expressions about an individual which are sexual in nature. 4. Criminal touching or actions not involving touching but which are offensive to the extent that they visually or emotionally shock the conscience of a reasonable person. 5. Asking for sexual favors in exchange for job benefits. 6. Any unwelcome sexual behavior initiated by a supervisor, employee, volunteer or non-employee

Effects of Harassment Humiliation Emotional Distress Poor school/job performance Unpleasant school/work environment Depression

What to do if you are harassed Try ignoring them. Sometimes this is enough to let someone know that they have offended you, or that your are not interested in them. If it continues, tell them to stop, warn them that if it continues, you will have to report the harassment. Is this easy to do? Would you need support? How or where would you get support? If it continues, or they have been unable to confront the harasser, then they need to report. Who can you go to in school? 4. If it happens in a workplace, there are policies in place to report to supervisors or others in authority

How to Avoid Sexual Harassment 1. Talk to someone, such as a friend, parent, or trusted adult. It is important to confide in someone. 2. Avoid being alone with the harasser. 3. Say no so that others around you know what is happening. 4. Know your rights. Under the Civil Rights Act, sexual harassment is against the law. 5. Keep a dated, written record of all incidents. 6. Find out if others have been harassed and might be willing to come forward to confront the harasser.

It is illegal for any male or female employee to: 1. Make unwelcome sexual advances or requests for sexual favors or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. 2. Make submission to or rejection of sexual advances the basis for employment opportunities affecting employees. 3. Create an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment through unwanted conduct or communication of a sexual nature. How can this be seen in your lives during school?

Sexting – Consequences

The Dangers of Sexting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLlTGq3UH38 NJ Law: NJ recently passed a law that allows minors, who engage in “sexting”, to avoid prosecution under the State of New Jersey’s child pornography laws the first time they get caught. Under the new law, juveniles caught using their cell phones to send sexually explicit images will be required to attend a State sponsored educational program designed to educate the juveniles about the dangers of sending sexually explicit images.

New Jersey Endangering Welfare of Children Statute It is a CRIME to: Permit a child to engage in a prohibited sexual act or in the simulation of such an act if the person knows, has reason to know or intends that the prohibited act may be photographed, filmed, reproduced, or reconstructed in any manner, including on the Internet, or may be part of an exhibition or performance. Photograph or film a child in a prohibited sexual act or in the simulation of such an act or who uses any device, including a computer, to reproduce or reconstruct the image of a child in a prohibited sexual act or in the simulation of such an act. Knowingly receive for the purpose of selling or who knowingly sells, provides, transfers, publishes, distributes, circulates, exhibits, advertises, offers or agrees to offer, through any means, including the Internet, any visual image which depicts a child engaging in a prohibited sexual act or in the simulation of such an act Knowingly possess or knowingly view any visual image which depicts a child engaging in a prohibited sexual act or in the simulation of such an act, including on the Internet.

Consequences If convicted it can result in up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $150,000. However, if you are convicted of possession of sexually explicit material you could face up to 18 months in jail and a fine. If convicted, the offender will be registered as a sex offender

Why do people bully/harass others? Children who are bullied are often insecure, socially isolated, anxious, and have low self-esteem Target? They are unlikely to defend themselves or retaliate Some people believe that it is OK to bully people who are different from them. - They may pick on people from minority groups, such as people with disabilities, people from different races and cultures, or people who are attracted to the same sex. - They may pick on people who do not conform to stereotypes of what it is to be 'cool' - They may pick on people who are different because they are smaller, quieter, brighter, have different values

Why do people bully/harass others? Bullies often target people who seem vulnerable and less able to protect themselves. Sometimes people have grown up with violence or harassment in their lives and have come to believe this is a normal way of relating to others. The HARASSER has low self-esteem and this is their way of making themselves feel better.

The Bully vs Being Bullied Long-term Affect Children can carry bullying behaviors into adulthood and experience difficulty in forming and maintaining relationships Children who are bullied often experience low self-esteem and depression even into adulthood Children who are bullied perceive school as an unsafe place and are likely to miss more days of school than their peers, as a result their education is negatively affected

WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP PREVENT BULLYING OR BRING IT TO AN END? In school Cyber Bullying WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL HELP/HURT?