Table of Contents

Lesson 5: Say ‘No’ to Bullying

Unit Four Adolescence Lesson 5

Warm-Up

A. Discuss the following questions in pairs:

Have you ever been treated unfairly by your school or college peers? If yes, how did you feel about it?
What do you mean by the term ‘bullying’?
Look at the word cloud below. What behaviors/feelings are associated with the term ‘bullying’? Can you add some more words to the list?
- Misconduct
- Neglect
- Abuse
- Rage
- Aggressive behavior
- Physical treatment
- Offensive gestures

Answer of the three warm up questions:

1. Have you ever been treated unfairly by your school or college peers? If yes, how did you feel about it?

Answer: Yes, many people experience unfair treatment by peers in school or college. This can include exclusion, ridicule, or unjust criticism. Feelings associated with such treatment often include sadness, frustration, and loneliness. It may also affect one’s self-esteem and overall well-being.

2. What do you mean by the term ‘bullying’?

Answer: Bullying is a deliberate and repeated misuse of power that aims to cause harm or distress to another person. It can take various forms, including physical aggression, verbal harassment, or social exclusion. The intent is to overpower or intimidate someone, making them feel threatened or inferior.

3. Look at the word cloud below. What behaviors/feelings are associated with the term ‘bullying’? Can you add some more words to the list?

Answer: The behaviors and feelings associated with bullying typically include:

Verbal Bullying: Name-calling, teasing, threats
Social Bullying: Exclusion, spreading rumors, manipulating friendships
Physical Bullying: Hitting, kicking, pushing
Emotional Impact: Fear, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem

B. Read the following definitions of bullying and types of bullying. Then discuss the following questions in small groups:

Definition of Bullying:
“Bullying is an ongoing and deliberate misuse of power in relationships through repeated verbal, physical, and/or social behaviour that intends to cause physical, social, and/or psychological harm. It can involve an individual or a group misusing their power, or perceived power, over one or more persons who feels unable to stop it from happening.”
(National Centre Against Bullying, Australia; www.ncab.org.au)

Types of Bullying:

Verbal Bullying:
- Teasing
- Name-calling on purpose
- Inappropriate sexual comments
- Taunting
- Threatening to cause harm about someone
Social Bullying:
- Leaving someone out on purpose
- Telling other children not to be friends with someone
- Spreading rumours
- Making mean facial or hand gestures
Physical Bullying:
- Hitting/kicking/pinching
- Spitting
- Tripping/pushing
- Taking or breaking someone’s things

Source: www.stopbullying.gov

Questions for Group Discussion:

a) Do you see any bullying in your college? What forms does it take?
b) What are some examples of bullying in your college?
c) Can you give an example of group bullying?
d) What can you/your friends do in your college to stop bullying?

Answers of these questions:

a) Do you see any bullying in your college? What forms does it take?

Answer: In many colleges, bullying can manifest in various forms. Common forms of bullying in a college setting include:

Verbal Bullying: Name-calling, teasing, and derogatory comments made in class or online.
Social Bullying: Excluding certain individuals from social groups or events, spreading rumors, or gossiping.
Cyberbullying: Harassing or intimidating peers through social media, messaging apps, or online forums.
Physical Bullying: Rare, but can include pushing, shoving, or other forms of physical aggression.

b) What are some examples of bullying in your college?

Answer: Examples of bullying in college might include:

A student consistently mocking another student’s appearance or academic performance.
Groups of students excluding someone from group activities or social gatherings.
Sending threatening or demeaning messages to someone over social media or through text.
Deliberately sabotaging a peer’s work or reputation.

c) Can you give an example of group bullying?

Answer: An example of group bullying is when a group of students collectively excludes one individual from a group project or social event. This could involve all members of a group participating in spreading false rumors about the person, leading to isolation and emotional distress for the individual. Another example is a group targeting someone with persistent, coordinated taunts or harassment, both in person and online.

d) What can you/your friends do in your college to stop bullying?

Answer: To address and prevent bullying in college, you and your friends can:

Raise Awareness: Organize workshops or seminars about bullying and its impact.
Support Victims: Offer support and a listening ear to those affected by bullying.
Encourage Reporting: Encourage students to report bullying incidents to college authorities or counseling services.
Promote Inclusivity: Foster an inclusive environment where diversity is respected and everyone feels valued.
Stand Up: Intervene safely if you witness bullying and encourage others to do the same.
Create Support Groups: Form or join support groups that provide resources and assistance for those dealing with bullying.

C. Now read the following newspaper report published in the online news portal bdnews24.com. Then answer the questions that follow:

Title: 35% of School Students Experience Bullying in Bangladesh: UNICEF
Source: bdnews24.com
Published: 06 Sep 2018, 03:27 PM BdST

In Bangladesh, 35 percent students aged between 13 and 15 reported being bullied one or more days in 30 days or involved in a physical fight at least once in 12 months in 2014, says a new report.

Globally, half of students aged between 13 and 15 worldwide — around 150 million — report having experienced peer-to-peer violence such as physical fights or forms of bullying, from their peers in and around school, according to the report released by UNICEF.

The report is based on data from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children: Cross-national Study and the Global School-based Student Health Surveys. The data include 122 countries, representing 51 percent of the global population of children between 13 and 15.

The report finds that students experience other forms of violence at school, such as attacks in classrooms or physical punishment by teachers.

About 720 million school-age children live in countries where they are not fully protected by law against forms of physical punishment at school, according to the report.

“Education is the key to building peaceful societies, and yet, for millions of children around the world, school itself is not safe,” said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore. “Every day, students face multiple dangers, including fighting, pressure to join gangs, bullying — both in person and online— violent discipline, sexual harassment and armed violence.

In the short term, this impacts their learning, and in the long term it can lead to depression, anxiety and even suicide. Violence is an unforgettable lesson that no child needs to learn.”

Globally, slightly more than one in three students between 13 and 15 said they experience bullying, according to the report. About one in three has been involved in physical fights.

On the other hand, 17 million young adolescents in 39 industrialised countries have admitted bullying others at school, according to the report. While girls and boys are equally at risk of bullying, girls are more likely to become victims of psychological forms of bullying and boys are more at risk of physical violence and threats.

The report notes that violence involving weapons in schools, such as knives and guns, continues to claim lives. It also says that in an increasingly digital world, bullies are disseminating violent, hurtful and humiliating content with the click of a button.

Questions:

a) What picture of bullying among Bangladeshi young students is presented in the report?
b) What percentage of students globally are victims of peer-to-peer bullying?
c) Do boys and girls become victims of the same type of bullying? Explain.
d) Is bullying a problem in developing countries only?

Answer of these questions:

a) What picture of bullying among Bangladeshi young students is presented in the report?

Answer: The report indicates that bullying is a significant issue among Bangladeshi young students. It reveals that 35% of students aged between 13 and 15 reported experiencing bullying or being involved in physical fights within a month. This suggests that a substantial proportion of students face peer-to-peer violence and bullying, which can have serious impacts on their well-being and education.

b) What percentage of students globally are victims of peer-to-peer bullying?

Answer: According to the report, slightly more than one in three students between the ages of 13 and 15 globally are victims of peer-to-peer bullying. This means approximately 33% or more of students in this age group experience some form of bullying.

c) Do boys and girls become victims of the same type of bullying? Explain.

Answer: No, boys and girls do not become victims of the same type of bullying. The report suggests that while both genders are at risk of bullying, they experience different forms:

Girls are more likely to be victims of psychological forms of bullying, such as spreading rumors and social exclusion.
Boys are more often victims of physical violence and threats, such as hitting and pushing. This indicates that the nature of bullying can vary based on gender, with different types of aggression being more common for each.

d) Is bullying a problem in developing countries only?

Answer: No, bullying is not a problem limited to developing countries. The report highlights that bullying is a global issue affecting students in both developing and industrialized countries. For instance, it mentions that 17 million young adolescents in 39 industrialized countries have admitted to bullying others at school. This shows that bullying is a widespread problem impacting students across various regions and economic contexts.

D. Now read the letter written by a female student seeking help from the ‘Your Advocate’ counselling page of the newspaper Daily Star and discuss the questions that follow:

Query:
I am a college student. In social media I have been facing a few problems since the very beginning. In the public groups and pages, I often face harassment by unknown users and strangers in the comment section. I wanted to know if there is any legal solution to my problem.
BULLYING Pt –
Source: Daily Star
Shila (not real name)
Sirajganj

Questions to Discuss in Pairs:

What is Shila’s problem?
What suggestions would you give Shila to cope with her problems?

Answer of these questions:

What is Shila’s problem?

Shila’s problem is that she is experiencing harassment on social media. She is facing bullying from unknown users and strangers in public groups and pages, particularly in the comment sections. She is seeking advice on whether there is any legal solution to address this issue.

What suggestions would you give Shila to cope with her problems?

Report the Harassment: Shila should report the abusive comments and users to the social media platform. Most platforms have mechanisms for reporting harassment and inappropriate behavior. She can use these tools to block and report the offenders.
Document Evidence: She should keep screenshots and records of the harassment as evidence. This documentation will be useful if she decides to take legal action or report the issue to authorities.
Seek Legal Help: Shila can contact legal professionals or organizations that specialize in cyberbullying. In Bangladesh, cyberbullying is an offense under the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act 2006, and legal recourse is available.
Involve Authorities: If the harassment continues or escalates, she can file a complaint with the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) or the cyber-crime helpline for further assistance.
Adjust Privacy Settings: Shila should review and adjust her privacy settings on social media to limit who can see her posts and contact her. This can help reduce the risk of further harassment.
Talk to Someone Trustworthy: She should discuss her situation with a trusted friend, family member, or counselor to receive support and advice on how to handle the situation emotionally and practically.

E. Read the reply given to Shila’s letter by a legal practitioner.

Response to Shila’s Letter:
The situation you are facing is commonly known as cyberbullying. It is basically an act done by a person(s) against another person(s) by using electronic communication, e.g., social media. A few examples of cyberbullying are— causing someone harm by posting unwanted or private information, threatening a person by sending mean messages via emails, social networking websites, text or audio messages, spreading rumours via email or social networking sites, sharing private/embarrassing pictures, creating fake profiles, etc.

In Bangladesh, cyberbullying is not just an act to be scorned at but is an offence punishable under the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act 2006. The Act, inter alia, provides that a person who deliberately publishes, in a website or in electronic form, any material which is fake and obscene or has the effect of corrupting persons who are likely to read, see or hear the material or causes to prejudice the image of a person or may hurt religious belief or instigate against any person, then the person publishing the material will be guilty of an offence under the Act. The punishment for such an offence is imprisonment and/or fine.

Victims of cyber crimes (including cyberbullying) can lodge a complaint to the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) by calling at +880-29611111 or by emailing at btrc@btrc.gov.bd. BTRC is supposed to take necessary actions within 24 hours and the perpetrators will be brought to justice within 3 days after the complaint is filed. The government has also launched a cyber-crime helpline. Victims can call at +8801766678888 to submit their complaints.

Furthermore, if the harassment amounts to criminal intimidation (threatening someone with injury to his/her person, reputation, property etc.), then the perpetrator may be liable to punishment as per the Penal Code 1860.

The steps mentioned above should definitely be taken if the matter is serious. An important first step is the internal reporting process of the particular social media website or application. If we take Facebook, for example, photos and comments can be reported and the particular user can be blocked. Similar reporting systems are in place in most other popular social media websites or applications.

True/False Statements:

a. Cyber bullying can be carried out by using the electronic media.
b. If a young man sends offensive pictures to his female friend’s Facebook
page, it is considered cyber bullying.
Cc. It is not legally prohibited to open a social media account with a fake
identify.
d. One may face legal procedures for sending unwanted text messages to
someone’s phone.
e. You cannot report to Facebook authority if you find a comment made
by someone unacceptable.

Answer:

a. Cyber bullying can be carried out by using the electronic media. (True)
b. If a young man sends offensive pictures to his female friend’s Facebook page, it is considered cyber bullying. (True)
c. It is not legally prohibited to open a social media account with a fake identity. (False)
d. One may face legal procedures for sending unwanted text messages to someone’s phone. (True)
e. You cannot report to Facebook authority if you find a comment made by someone unacceptable. (False)

F. Now, complete the following text on Seven Ways to Deal with Cyber Bullying with the words given below:

Words: parents, opportunity, report, attitude, social, privacy, screenshot, response, images, immediately

Don’t respond instantly:
If you are facing bullying from someone, please don’t respond (a) __________ or panic because this is what the reaction the bully wants from you. Do not over-react, as this will give the bully more power to harm you. Be patient.
Save all the evidence:
So, if you have any evidence or proof about the bully, like texts, (b) __________, emails, etc., save them and keep them safe. This evidence can be used against the bully under the cyber law act. So even if the bullying is very minor, always keep the evidence or its (c) __________ safe which can be used for complaining against digital bullying.
Talk to someone you trust:
Talk to an adult whom you trust. This will help you to feel relieved a bit. It is preferred that you involve your (d) __________ as they are your strong support in your good and bad times.
Be genuine:
On social media, it often happens that you like someone and you talk to that person, but in case you do not like someone or the texts sent by the person, block the person but do not send an angry (e) __________. You should not lower yourself to that person’s level.
Just Block and Delete:
The moment you are harassed and you feel it is coming on you more often, block the bully and (f) __________ it. In case the bully is texting or sending (g) __________ or putting comments, then go to your social settings and block the person from sending you the same.
Protect Passwords:
It is always advisable to protect the passwords of each of your accounts on the web and on the (h) __________ media. Everyone should keep their passwords safe and secure. Please do not give the bullies an (i) __________ to get into your account.
Don’t be a bystander, be a friend:
Watching or participating in the act of bullying hurts the person who is suffering the most. If you know someone doing it, please ask the person to stop it, don’t just be a bystander. This (j) __________ of yours will empower the bullies more, thus report it when you see it is happening near or around you.

Answer:

Don’t respond instantly:
If you are facing bullying from someone, please don’t respond (a) immediately or panic because this is what the reaction the bully wants from you. Do not over-react, as this will give the bully more power to harm you. Be patient.
Save all the evidence:
So, if you have any evidence or proof about the bully, like texts, (b) images, emails, etc., save them and keep them safe. This evidence can be used against the bully under the cyber law act. So even if the bullying is very minor, always keep the evidence or its (c) screenshot safe which can be used for complaining against digital bullying.
Talk to someone you trust:
Talk to an adult whom you trust. This will help you to feel relieved a bit. It is preferred that you involve your (d) parents as they are your strong support in your good and bad times.
Be genuine:
On social media, it often happens that you like someone and you talk to that person, but in case you do not like someone or the texts sent by the person, block the person but do not send an angry (e) response. You should not lower yourself to that person’s level.
Just Block and Delete:
The moment you are harassed and you feel it is coming on you more often, block the bully and (f) delete it. In case the bully is texting or sending (g) images or putting comments, then go to your social settings and block the person from sending you the same.
Protect Passwords:
It is always advisable to protect the passwords of each of your accounts on the web and on the (h) social media. Everyone should keep their passwords safe and secure. Please do not give the bullies an (i) opportunity to get into your account.
Don’t be a bystander, be a friend:
Watching or participating in the act of bullying hurts the person who is suffering the most. If you know someone doing it, please ask the person to stop it, don’t just be a bystander. This (j) attitude of yours will empower the bullies more, thus report it when you see it is happening near or around you.

G. Look at the anti-bullying posters (a-c) below. Then think about three slogans to complete posters ‘d-f’. Share your completed posters with a peer and edit/improve your slogans, if required

I’ll suggest three general anti-bullying slogans that you can use to complete posters ‘d-f’. Feel free to adjust them based on the context of the existing posters.