Anti bullying campaigns don’t mean squat
Can you believe it? No one cares about bullying.
Only 14 per cent of victims reported a small benefit from the anti-bulling program
Troy Media – by Faith Wood
Why don’t anti bullying campaigns work?
We certainly hear about them frequently within the educational system, but when push comes to shove, the current campaigns are ineffective. And, what about the workplace? Bullying is prevalent throughout corporate environments and all businesses, although you may not be aware of it unless you are experiencing bullying yourself.
To be honest, the levels of bullying behavior are complex (that’s putting it mildly!) and I can imagine it’s tough for you to wrap your head around all of the concepts that comprise the ‘bully personality.’ However, before we can begin to address how to fix the bullying problem in schools and within the workplace, you need to understand why programs currently in place aren’t effective.
Several years ago, Canadian psychologist J. David Smith, Ph.D. of the University of Ottawa, penned a paper entitled, The Effectiveness of Whole School Anti-Bullying Programs: a Synthesis of Evaluation Research. Whew!
That’s a big title and, if you’re not a psychologist, you may shy away from reading it! Nonetheless, Dr. Smith’s findings were staggering BUT anyone can understand them – 86 per cent of victim outcomes (reports by victims of program benefits) were negligible and negative, while 14 per cent reported a small benefit from the anti-bulling program. For victims who ‘self-reported’ bullying incidents, 100 per cent reported the anti-bullying school campaign to be ineffectual. (1 J. David Smith, Ph.D., The Effectiveness of Whole School Anti- Bullying Programs: a Synthesis of Evaluation Research)
When I first read those numbers, I had to read them again to make certain I understood them correctly. If Dr. Smith’s figures are even close to being correct (and, I must conclude they are), the anti-bullying programs offered don’t mean squat. He believes no one cares.
Can you believe it? No one cares.
This is where Dr. Smith and I part company. I care.
If we take the attitude that ‘bullying cannot be stopped’ and, therefore, a ‘why should we bother to try’ attitude, then Dr. Smith is correct. I believe, however, that we, through the power of our intellect and spirit, can achieve great success in all that we do. I believe in our inherent ability to find a path to success.
Part 2: Taking the bully by the horns
Faith Wood has become an internationally recognized behavioral strategist. Utilizing NLP, Hypnosis and Conflict Management strategies, she is passionate about unlocking the secrets of the brain and our unconscious motivations. Visit www.imind.ca to learn more. If you want need a good laugh about life, pick up Life under the limbo bar and rediscover the joy of manifesting change and recovering from your own stress.
Category: Education
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