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Creating a safe culture for teens |
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Creating a safe culture for teens |
Courage for Youth's research has led us to target relational aggression as the issue that threatens the most young people.
Relational aggression is not typical physical or verbal bullying but a more subtle form of aggression that uses relationships to damage or manipulate others. Both boys and girls engage in aggression, but girls usually express it relationally. They use relationships to inflict harm, manipulate relationships with their peers, injure others' feelings of social acceptance. They purposefully ignore other girls, spread rumours, and tell peers not to associate with another girl as a means of retaliation.
The consequences are serious. Both victims and aggressors are at risk for serious adjustment problems that can have far-reaching effects on their lives, including depression and suicide. Relational aggression can create a hostile social environment in schools that affects children's ability to learn and grow.
Three parties are involved in relational aggression: the bully, the victim, and the bystander. The BC Safe School Task Force Report states, "The Task Force learned that bystanders are not innocent witnesses in many cases and are often the cause of bullying." Real change can take place by empowering the bystander.
Over
70% of youth have been bullied by the time they reach grade 9, with
emotional assaults the most common form of bullying, the form that
leaves the deepest scars. Students say adult intervention is infrequent
and ineffective and that teachers seldom, if ever, talk to their
classes about bullying. Both teachers and parents are often unaware
of the extent of the problem. (PATH, May 2002)