Students Magazine_no 3_2022

Preventing harassment and violence

in EU schools

European Project Erasmus+ KA2

2019-1-ES01-KA229-064403_3

Material realizat cu sprijinul financiar al Comisiei

Europene. Conţinutul prezentului material reprezintă

responsabilitatea exclusivă a autorilor, iar Agenţia

Naţională şi Comisia Europeană nu sunt responsabile

pentru modul în care conţinutul informaţiei va fi folosit.

ERASMUS + 229 Preventing harassment and violence in EU schools (2019-2022)

Romanian Editorial Team

Editor:

Alin Robert Dascălu

Raluca-Mihaela Lazăr

Students:

Lavinia-Roxana Apetrei

Cosmina-Sânziana Isăcescu

Beatrice Galan

Beatris Mihaela Clim

Coordinating teacher:

Mihaela Apetrei

Cătălin Curaleț

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Bullying

is a complex

phenomenon,

which can

start with

verbal

aggression

(nicknames,

insults,

intimidation,

humiliation),

but very

easily can be

aggravated /

later

transformed

into physical

aggression

(either

indirect - on

things /

objects in the

victim's

possession ,

or direct -on

the victim

himself).

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Bullying involves one or more people repeatedly and deliberately

doing things to make another person upset, afraid or hurt. A person or

a group of people might feel that they have more power than someone

else and use hurtful words or actions to bully them. Bullying is not just

‘playing around’ – it can really affect someone’s feelings and emotions.

Bullying can take place just about anywhere, including the schoolyard,

classroom, on the way to/from school, online, by phone, at home and at

work – basically any place that people hang out. It can be related to

just about anything and can come in many forms. For example, bullying

can include physical, verbal and social aggression and it can be either

face-to-face or online(cyberbullying).

Cyberbullying uses electronic types of communication (e.g., text

messages, email and social networking sites such as Facebook,

Instagram or YouTube). Unlike face to face bullying, cyberbullying can

go on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so people don’t get a rest from it.

Bullying can also be hidden or ‘covert’ (e.g., deliberately excluding

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others, sending or posting pictures, or spreading rumors about

someone behind their back).

Did you know that around 1 in 6 school students aged 7 to 17

reported they have been bullied at least once a week?

It’s important to remember that bullying is not okay, it is not

simply “a normal part of growing up”, and help is always available to

make things better. If you are having problems with bullying, seeking

support is a good way to help you to overcome the negative effects of

bullying and find ways to get the bullying to STOP.Anyone who has

experienced bullying knows how upsetting it is. We may feel alone,

unsafe, afraid, stressed, humiliated, angry, ashamed and rejected. Often

we feel that there is no escape and may do things so we can ‘fit in’, like

changing our appearance or acting differently. Sometimes we might

want to hurt others, or ourselves, because of it. Bullying can be

traumatic, especially when carried out by friends or peers, as these

relationships are so important in a young person’s life.

If you are being bullied face to face:

Stay calm. It can be really hard but learning not to feel or show that

you are overwhelmed can help you feel better. It might also mean the

bullying stops because you are not reacting to it. Try focusing on your

breathing as a way to calm yourself.

Don’t fight back. If you fight back you can make the situation worse,

get hurt or be blamed for starting the trouble.

Try to ignore the bullying by calmly turning and walking away. If

the person doing the bullying tries to stop or block you, try to be firm

and clear – if you can, look them in the eye and tell them to STOP.

Try to avoid the person who is bullying you, or ask a friend to stay

with you when they are around.

acummmm

3 | P a g e


mmmmmmmmm

Tell a trusted adult what has happened straight away. This can

help you to find ways to get the bullying to stop and overcome

the negative feelings that can result from the bullying as soon as

possible. It can also help you to prevent more serious health

issues that can result from bullying in the future.

If you are being bullied online:

Don’t respond to the people who are cyberbullying.

Talk to your parents, carer, teacher or another trusted adult

about what is happening and how you can address it.

Talk to friends you trust to get support and advice. Let them

know it is hurting or frightening you and you need their support.

Block the person or people from being able to contact you and

change your privacy settings to protect what you post on social

media.

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If the bullying is persistent and ongoing, delete your current

online account and start a new one. Only give your new details

to a small list of trusted friends.

Report any bullying to the site where it is occurring. Sites like

Facebook have a report button you can use.

Keep everything that is sent to you such as emails, texts, instant

messages and comments on your social media accounts. Give

these to someone you trust.

If the bullying continues and you are feeling afraid or

threatened, seek help to report the bullying from your local

police.

“Strong people stand up for themselves, but the strongest people

stand up for others.”

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When you see bullying, there are safe things you can do to make it

STOP!

Talk to a parent, teacher, or another adult you trust. Adults need to

know when bad things happen so they can help.

Be kind to the kid being bullied. Show them that you care by trying

to include them. Sit with them at lunch or on the bus, talk to them

at school, or invite them to do something. Just hanging out with

them will help them know they aren’t alone.

Not saying anything could make it worse for everyone. The kid who

is bullying will think it is ok to keep treating others that way.

(A FEW EXCERPTS FROM INTERVIEWS WITH THEIR PEERS)

‘‘Six years ago one of the people that was in my class in fourth grade

was bullied. She was not bullied face to face, but still bullied. First she

got weird notes. Then one day, she got a huge wad of chewed gum in

her book box were she keeps all her stuff. It eventually got so bad she

had to leave our class for the rest of the day.’’ said Ayşe from a Turkish

school. ‘‘Ways to stop bullying include telling someone, not reacting or

being very sensitive about it or telling yourself that whatever they say

is not true.

If they shove you around and use violence on you, tell an adult

because that is not okay. A way to prevent bullying is to stand up for

yourself. If you see someone being bullied, don't be a bystander. Be an

upstander, stand up to the bully and if they bully you, then stand up for

yourself because no bully likes hard targets. They just like easy

pickings.

Actions you can take to stop bullying are to stand up for anyone

getting bullied. Tell a grown up because if you don't, it will just get

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worse. You also could ask the bully why they are doing this and maybe

help them not bully people anymore.’’ said Ömer from a government

school in Turkey.

‘‘We can do stop it or prevent is tell somebody what is going on and

what can they do to help and tell that person who is bullying them or

what is that person trying to do is make them feel sad, little mad or

unsafe to make that person not want us to go that place anymore and

stand up for that person who getting bullied. Also, is cyberbullying we

also still could tell an adult that a person is saying really hurtful words.

Also, a way to stop that is to block them or unfriend that person that's

doing it or report them to the game. Another thing we can do to stop

bullying is write essay or you can be nice to that bully instead of say

anything mean because sometimes they will be confused why that

person is saying nice thing instead of fighting them or saying mean

stuff to them because they will also think I am their bully like why is

that person saying mean things also and maybe they will change.

Also, they will think why am I bullying this person because they're

not even to me there really nice to me and that bully well think, I feel

so bad for I did to this wonderful person and maybe they will say sorry

I did to you and right now I feel really bad for what I did because most

bullies can change into a wonderful person and some can just always

be the same old person they will always be when they grow up.’’ said a

friend of Ömer from the same school.

‘‘Someone I know got bullied online. He got bullied because he was

bad in a game and then the person said bad things and bad words.

Then told him to stop but he didn't and told my friend to leave them

and never play with him ever again. My friend decided to block him. He

also was bullied in school by the same people who bullied him online,

then he told his parents and switched schools and then he felt safe.’’

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said Ahmet from 10 th grade. ‘‘We can stop bullying by telling students

to be nice and be in control instead of hurting someone that did

nothing to them.

We have to do something, we have to take action and stop bullying

now before someone else gets hurt and we are a community we have

to work together never give up to stop bullying.’’ he added.

Who Gets Bullied?

may be:

* Bigger or smaller than most kids their age

* Walk, talk, or look differently

* Have a disability that makes him or her stand out

* Have few or no friends

* Be interested in things no one else is

* Be part of a minority

What Happens to Kids that are Bullied?

may become:

* sad or depressed

*avoid coming to school

What Can I do if I see Someone Being Bullied?

It isn't always easy to stand up and do the right thing. But now that

you know how bullying can feel, think about what you can do next time

you see someone else being picked on. Maybe the person being bullied

isn't a friend of yours. Maybe the person that's being a bully is

someone you think is cool, or it's one of your friends. Do what's right.

Think about what you would want to happen if you were being picked

on. How would it make you feel if someone stepped in to help you?

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Am I a Bully? Are Some of my Friends Bullies?

If what you've been reading about reminds you of some of things

you may do or say to others. STOP. You have a choice in the way you

treat others and you'll never know just how much suffering you may be

causing. There are over 3.2 million of students that are victims of

bullying each year. Because of these, approximately 160,000 teens skip

school every day to avoid the bullies.

Some of these students drop out of school. Some schools don’t even

help the victims that are been bullied. Over two-thirds of students

believe that schools respond poorly to bullying, with high percentage

of students believing that adult help is infrequent and ineffective. Most

of the teenagers have a very low self-esteem and by telling them mean

things, they will only become worst. Everybody makes mistakes.

Kids today are always in the internet and they meet strangers

everyday. As a parent, adults need to pay attention to everything that

the kid is doing. If you

don’t want to have

problems like this, don’t

talk to strangers over

the internet. Once it’s on

the internet it stays

there forever. If you see

someone that is being

bullied over the internet

or at school, contact an

adult or confront the

person yourself. If we all

stand up together

against bullying, the

world will be a better

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place. You might think that the one that you are making fun of is a

monster because of the stuff he or she has done, but in reality, you are

the monster for making them feel worst.

Bullying is wrong. It's never ok. It's never cool. It never makes you

look good by doing it. You always have a choice. Be the person that is

smart enough and confident enough to be friends with everyone you

meet.

By doing so, you're sending the message that you're self-assured

enough not to care what others may think. I hope you take it seriously.

This is an issue that's been costing lives. As students, you can change

that.

" Be the Change You Want to See in the World! " – Ghandi

Materials offred by the students

from İstanbul Anatolian High School

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Say no to bullying!

What is bullying?

Bullying is common in our society

and has become a public health

emergency. It is a form of repeated

peer aggression which is intentional

and involves a power differential

between the bully and the victim. It is often subtle and hidden,

profoundly affecting a substantial number of children. The information

in the following activity will provide clinicians with tools for increased

awareness and early recognition of bullying; this, in turn, is likely to

result in the development of strategies for prevention and intervention

with respect to this significant societal issue. This activity reviews the

cause, pathophysiology, presentation of patients that are victims of

bullying and the role of the interprofessional team in the evaluation

and management of these patients.

The etiology of bullying is complex and may depend on multiple

issues including individual, social, and family issues. It is important to

understanding these hidden causes that increase the risk of bullying.

Victims

Although there are many causes of bullying, certain risk factors may

attract bullies to their victims.

Children who are different from their peers

Children who are weaker (than bullies)

Children who are socially isolated, less popular, and have few

friends

May have underlying feelings of personal inadequacy

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Bullies

These children may have the following characteristics:

Increasingly aggressive behavior and can be easily frustrated

Tendency to blame others for their issues

Unable to accept responsibility for their actions

May be overly competitive and worry about their reputation or

popularity

May have friends who bully others

May perceive hostile intent in the action of others

May have a desire for power or dominance

It is not necessary that a bully is stronger or bigger than their

victim. The power imbalance can be due to many things including

popularity, strength, or cognitive ability. Bullying behavior may be

used to gain social status.

Pathophysiology

The issue of bullying in children is a complex problem that emerges

from social, physical, institutional and community contexts, as well as

the individual characteristics of the children who are bullied and

victimized.

A bullying interaction occurs not only because of individual

characteristics of a particular child who is bullying, but also because of

actions and attitudes of peers, teachers and school staff, and physical

characteristics of that particular environment. Family dynamics,

cultural factors, and even community response also play a role in the

occurrence of the bullying interaction.

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Evaluation

Bullying is a serious problem for both the bully and the victim. The

first step is recognizing bullying as a problem for a child. It is also

important to identify bullying interactions at an early stage.

Assessment of bullying: There are many tools available to assess

bullying and determine the frequency and locations of bullying

behavior. See the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's

compendium for measuring bullying, victimization, and bystander

experience. It may also be important to assess other risk and

protective factors, such as depression, suicide risk, sources of internal

and external resilience, to best determine the interventions and

supports needed.

Treatment / Management

Since bullying is a very complex problem there is no “quick fix” to

prevent or intervene with this issue. It is important to understand the

issues that are unique to the individual and the context in order to

develop and implement

interventions. Here we

describe important

elements for intervention

to address this issue.

To stop bullying,

remember

prevention is the best

intervention.

Assist child and family in providing a supportive and safe

environment

Provide assurance to the child that bullying is not his or her fault

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Work with school and other agencies as applicable to protect

the victim

Defuse or de-escalate an acute situation

Addressing bullying is a multi-step process

Teach children not to bully; discourage bullying

Improve supervision in commonly under-supervised areas such

as playground, cafeteria, hallway and bus

Bullying prevention strategies should be clear and visible to

other children

Educate children about consequences of bullying and letting

him/her know that bullying is wrong and a serious act.

Apply consistent disciplinary consequences (e.g., removal of

privileges, reparation).

Enforce penalties such as requiring community service as

“payback” for unacceptable behavior

Engaging the Victim

Empathetic listening to the child; trying to understand child’s

view

Provide emotional support to child and family

Obtain permission for a discussion with school officials

Discuss when to contact parents; consider parents as partners

Psycho-educational counseling

Long-term support and intervention

Engaging Bullies

Explore the basis of bully’s behavior: it is also important not to label

them as a bully.

Listen to their perspective. Remain non-confrontational; share

concern for the victim, ask for suggestions for improvement.

Set the boundaries between acceptable and unacceptable

behavior; communicate that this behavior is unacceptable.

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Children may quit bullying when they become aware of the hurt they

have caused and learn alternative ways of coping.

Team approach: Many researchers believe that bullying is a group

process and therefore interventions against bullying should be

targeted at the peer-group level rather than at individual bullies and

victims. Research has shown that the most successful programs are

those that use multi-level interventions.

Involve parents; determine the best time and most effective method of

involving parents.

Family therapy is one effective method of reducing anger and

improving interpersonal relationships.

Encourage schools to develop an anti-bullying policy that should be

included in the student code of conduct.

Pediatricians should consider screening children for their potential

involvement in bullying activities and encourage youth to prevent and

intervene with bullying in safe ways (even as bystanders).

Changes in the school and classroom climate to increase awareness

about bullying.

Increase teacher and parent involvement.

Improved supervision.

Setting clear rules against bullying.

Providing support and protection for bullied children.

What should parents do if they think their child

is bullying others?

Advice for parents who think their child is bullying others includes

talking to their child to share the details of the actions of which he or

she has been accused and listening to his or her side of what happened,

holding the child fully and fairly accountable for his or her actions,

spending more time with him or her, monitoring his or her activities,

and supervising him or her appropriately.

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Other tips for parents whose children are bullying others include

staying in close touch with the school to monitor for any further

incidents and encouraging the child to engage in positive social

activities with positive role models. All bullies may benefit from being

given socially appropriate ways to express their aggression (for

example, through martial arts, writing, or other supervised group

activities). Those who were formerly victims of bullying may

experience a decrease in bullying behavior when their life is improved

through protection from adverse experiences, including domestic

violence, abuse, or neglect. Bullies who exhibit sufficient symptoms to

qualify for a mental health diagnosis should receive treatment

accordingly.

What can people do if they see someone being bullied?

Bystanders to bullying can help discourage bullying behavior by

asking other people who are witnessing the bullying how they feel

about what they have seen and whether they feel the behavior is right

or wrong. The group of bystanders can decide individually or as a

group to positively influence the situation by expressing their

disapproval toward the bully and/or notifying people in authority, like

teachers, counselors, or administrators at school, or supervisors or the

human resources department in the workplace. Bystanders to bullying

16 | P a g e


can also discourage the behavior by encouraging the victim to ask for

help from peers and authority figures.

How can people reduce their risk for being bullied?

Since low self-esteem tends to be a risk factor for becoming the

victim of bullying, interventions that promote confidence and selfesteem

are important ways to reduce the risk of being

bullied.Confidence builders can range from engaging in activities at

which the person excels (for example, theatrical performances, sports

teams, and special work projects) to engaging in psychotherapy. As

isolation is both a risk factor and result of bullying, helping the person

feel less alone by lending a listening ear and/or engaging in a support

group can go a long way toward providing the community needed to

preven person from being bullied.

Materials offred by the students

from 4EPAL KAVALA

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Bullying is nowadays a widespread phenomenon in all fields and

affects people regardless of age, social category, gender, geographical

area, etc. With the exception of physical violence, verbal bullying

(which includes emotional and behavioral bullying) is already an

integral part of our society, part of our way of relating and socializing.

"Survival of the strong" is a principle that is also reflected in relational

/ social behavior through domination, intimidation, contradictory

discussions, ideological struggles, competition, etc., being things

accepted and already considered by society as "normal":

-At work, through competition, conflicts are sometimes

generated, some of intimidation, others of domination,

exclusions or selective social inclusion, etc.

-Politicians are always trying to intimidate and dominate each

other, spreading rumors, directly or indirectly attacking other

people - and not only are they allowed to, but the world really

expects them to do so.

-Selective exclusion from groups is the order of the day in

organizations or clubs that accept only their members, exclude

other people; Such exclusions also apply globally - countries

with their own nationals, thus excluding the rest of the

population, placing strict conditions on their relationship,

visitation, access or official accession to their status as citizens

of the country.

The phenomenon is more prevalent among children. The aggressor

can be:

-another classmate;

-the partner who controls the other;

-a neighbor;

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-a business partner;

-a family member;

-another person involved in an abusive relationship.

Children who are harassed suffer emotionally and socially because it

is difficult for them to make friends, so they will have low self-esteem:

they will begin to believe that what is being said about them is true.

Victims of bullying can experience many emotions: sadness, grief,

frustration, loneliness and isolation. Moreover, the parents of the

victims may experience a sense of failure regarding the growth and

care of their child and may be overwhelmed by the whole situation.

Messages for children

- If you are a victim of bullying, ask your family, teachers and even the

authorities for help. Don't be isolated! It is your right to live in a safe

environment. You are not the only one going through these moments!

- If you witness a bullying phenomenon, do not remain silent. I know

you're afraid of being a victim too, but helping your colleagues will set

a good example. Remember that most people are against this behavior.

If you've treated someone badly, stop! Ask yourself where this

anger is coming from and ask for the help you need. Think about how

19 | P a g e


you would feel if someone you loved treated you that way! Apologize

and regain the respect of others.

Conclusions:

1. It is everyone's duty to identify, report and stop bullying from

happening (students, teachers, parents and authorities).

2. Bullying can only be stopped through collective effort.

3. Both the victim and the bully need multidisciplinary support:

psychological, sociological and familiar. Victims should be helped to

process emotional trauma and regain self-confidence. This can be done

if they feel safe, both at school and at home. The bully should be helped

to understand why such behavior is not acceptable, but also to have

the opportunity to discuss their own issues.

4. Respect should be mutual, regardless of race, accent, religion, social

affiliation, school skills, etc. By respecting each other we will live in a

better world.

by Beatrice Galan, student in 11th grade, Romania

Bullying happens every day or every week in many schools in our

country. This phenomenon has a negative effect on everyone, including

the "aggressor", the child who is the "target", those who witness the

conflict and all of those who are connected, in one way or another, with

the phenomenon. Experts say bullying is a community issue and needs

a community solution. Bullying is a problem that can ruin a child's

school experience, social life, and emotional well-being. This issue has

gained more and more attention in recent years due to technology and

new ways in which children and teenagers can communicate and

harass each other, such as the Internet, mobile phones, and social

networks. Adults sometimes tend to ignore bullying and end up

considering it a "normal" stage of life that all children go through, but

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this phenomenon is a real problem that has serious consequences.

Strategies and solutions that help you prevent bullying

Pay attention to your child: The first thing to do if you notice that

something is wrong with your child is to talk to him. The most

important thing you can do for a child who is being bullied is to

validate the situation they are going through.

Pay attention to your child's feelings and tell them you care. You

may not be able to solve all of your son or daughter's problems, but it

is essential that he or she knows that he or she can count on you and

your support.

Be a role model for your son or daughter Bullying is a behavior that

can be learned. Children end up learning antisocial behaviors, such as

bullying, from adults they see as role models in life, such as parents,

teachers, and the media. Be, as much as possible, a positive role model

and teach your child from an early age how good social behavior looks

like. Your child will be less likely to get into "harmful" relationships

that can hurt him or her if you, as a parent, avoid negative associations.

School staff and other adults should be educated about this topic

Education is essential in stopping bullying in the community you

and your child belong to. Both teachers and parents need to inform

themselves and discuss openly with students / children about bullying

and try to find out what bullying is like at school. Through continuous

education on this topic and opening the subject, these things will help

both children and parents to understand what behaviors are

considered bullying. Different school meetings or meetings with

parents on this topic may raise the issue.

by Beatris Mihaela Clim, student in 11th grade, Romania

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Bullying is a repeated aggressive behavior where one person (or

group of people) in a position of power deliberately intimidates,

abuses, or coerces an individual with the intention to hurt that person

physically or emotionally. Acts of bullying can be physical or verbal.

Many young people can be unkind to each other during adolescence as

they refine social skills and grow into adults. While these interactions

are unpleasant, there is a clear line between conflict and bullying.

Incidents of bullying include all 3 of these characteristics:

Intentional- the behavior was aggressive and a deliberate attempt to

hurt another person.Repeated- these aggressive actions occur

repeatedly over time to the same person or group of people.

Power imbalance- the person bullying has more physical or social

power than the child or children being bullied.Bullying almost always

takes an emotional toll upon the child being bullied, but the actions

that constitute bullying may vary. There are four types of bullying,

which can occur separately or simultaneously:

Physical bullying such as kicking or pushing

Verbal bullying such as name-calling or yelling

Relational bullying such as excluding or rumor-spreading

Cyberbullying which involves sending hurtful messages over

digital devices like computers and cell phones.

Cyberbullying continues to increase as digital media becomes more

predominant in the social culture of children and teens.

The roles youth play

Situations involving bullying are often more complex than they

seem. Three widely recognized roles in bullying situations

are victim, bully, and bystander. However, bullying situations are

rarely simple. Youth who are victims of bullying may also act as bullies

under some circumstances.

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Youth bystanders can either exacerbate a bullying situation, or

intervene to stop it. Bystanders who make the bullying worse do so by

either participating in the bullying themselves or providing the bully

with an encouraging audience. Helpful bystanders, on the other hand,

stand up for the victim when they see bullying occur, or get someone

else who can help.

Be cautious about labeling

While we use the terms “victim,” “bully,” and “bystander” to refer to

the roles that youth can play, it is important to consider the impact that

these labels can have on young people’s identities. Many researchers

and educators believe that such labeling sends a message that the

bullying behavior cannot change. There are many factors that might

influence a youth’s behavior, such as the youth’s peers, family

situation, and school climate. While we use the terms victim, bully, and

bystander throughout this site for simplicity, we believe it is better to

focus on the bullying behaviors, rather than the labels.

What are the results?

The effects of bullying involve both the bully and the victim. Youth

who are bullied are more likely to suffer from the following:

Depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and thoughts of suicide

Health issues like headaches, sleep problems, abdominal pain, bedwedding,

and fatigue

Academic issues including poor attendance, low test scores, and

increased dropout rates

Youth who bully:

Are at greater risk of smoking tobacco and drinking alcohol

Perform poorly in school and have a poor perception of school

environment

Are more likely to become involved in criminal activity and to

experience psychiatric disorders

by Naomi Pristavu, student in 10th grade, Romania

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The phenomenon of bullying is widespread in schools. This

refers to physical or verbal aggression or harassment, which is

repeated over a period of time and most often involves children.

Unfortunately, bullying can have dangerous consequences for a

person's normal development. Both abused children and abusers can

develop serious and long-lasting emotional problems.

Bullying includes actions such as threatening, spreading

rumors, physically or verbally assaulting a person, and being excluded

from a group.

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Cyberbullying can

be manifested by

sending threatening

or intimidating

messages via e-mail,

text, social media and

even by stealing

online identity in

order to hurt and

humiliate that person.

Some cyberbullies

may even create a website or social media page to humiliate someone

else.

Violence can be expressed both verbally and physically, and the guilt

of creating an aggressive situation is shared: a large percentage

belongs to those who cannot adequately express their needs and

requirements and resort to violence, and another percentage

belongs to those who tolerate it.

"Never boast in silence.

Never allow yourself to be a

victim. Do not accept

anyone's definition of your

life, but define yourself.”

by Răzvan

Apărece, student in 11 th

grade, Romania

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Bullying defined

Bullying is a repeated aggressive behavior where one person (or

group of people) in a position of power deliberately intimidates, abuses, or

coerces an individual with the intention to hurt that person physically

oremotionally. Acts of bullying can be physical or verbal. Many young

people can be unkind to each other during adolescence as they refine social

skills and grow into adults. While these interactions are unpleasant, there is

a clear line between conflict and bullying. Incidents of bullying must

include all 3 of these characteristics:

1) Intentional- the behavior was aggressive and a deliberate attempt to

hurt another person

2) Repeated- these aggressive actions occur repeatedly over time to the

same person or group of people

3) Power imbalance- the person bullying has more physical or social

power than the child or children being bullied

Bullying almost always takes an emotional toll upon the child being

bullied, but the actions that constitute bullying vary. There are four types of

bullying, which can occur separately or simultaneously:

1) Physical bullying such as kicking or pushing

2) Verbal bullying such as name-calling or yelling

3) Relational bullying such as excluding or rumor-spreading

4) Cyberbullying which involves sending hurtful messages over digital

devices like computers and cell phones.

Cyberbullying continues to increase as digital media become more

prevalent in the social culture of children and teens.

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Situations involving bullying are often more complex than they

seem. Three widely recognized roles in bullying situations

are victim, bully, and bystander. However, bullying situations are

rarely simple. Youth who are victims of bullying may also act as bullies

under some circumstances.Youth bystanders can either exacerbate a

bullying situation, or intervene to stop it. Bystanders who make the

bullying worse do so by either participating in the bullying themselves

or providing the bully with an encouraging audience. Helpful by

standers, on the other hand, stand up for the victim when they see

bullying occur, or get someone else who can help.

Be cautious about labeling. While we use the terms “victim,”

“bully,” and “bystander” to refer to the roles that youth can play, it is

important to consider the impact that these labels can have on young

people’s identities. Many researchers and educators believe that such

labeling sends a message that the bullying behavior cannot change.

There are many factors that might influence a youth’s behavior, such as

the youth’s peers, family situation, and school climate. While we use

the terms victim, bully, and bystander throughout this site for

simplicity, we believe it is better to focus on the bullying behaviors,

rather than the labels.

What are the results?

The effects of bullying involve both the bully and the victim. Youth

who are bullied are more likely to suffer from the following:

Depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and thoughts of suicide

Health issues like headaches, sleep problems, abdominal pain, bedwedding,

and fatigue Academic issues including poor attendance, low

test scores, and increased dropout rates

27 | P a g e


Youth who bully:

Are at greater risk of smoking tobacco and drinking alcohol

Perform poorly in school and have a poor perception of school

environment

Are more likely to become involved in criminal activity and to

experience psychiatric disorders*

What does bullying really mean?

Explained in the simplest way possible, bullying occurs when a person

or group behaves intentionally and repeatedly in a way that makes

someone feel hurt or embarrassed.

How many types of bullying is there?

1.Physical bullying includes acts such as hitting, pushing,

Stealing properties, and sexual assault.

2.Verbal bullying includes: teasing, nicknames with negative

connotations, inappropriate sexual comments and mockery

3.Social bullying includes: spreading untrue rumors or excluding

someone from a group

4.Cyber-bullying combines practices of social and verbal bullying, but

in the digital environment, especially through social networks

What’s the difference between bullying and innocent teasing between

children?

Bullying is often interpreted by parents or teachers as a form of joke

between children, regardless of the child being targeted nicknames

such as “glasses”,”skinny”, ”chubby” or “fat XXL”, affect him

emotionally and can have repercussions even in adult life. We can

easily detect a bullying situation if one or more of these conditions are

met: the action is unwanted and aggressive, may or may not be

repeated over time and there is an imbalance of power-the victim feels

powerless to do against the abuser.

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Situations that cannot be considered bullying:

-If a child is not invited to another child’s birthday party, bullying only

occurs when the child is repeatedly excluded and marginalized

-If there accidental beatings between children, bullying occurs only

when the violence is intentional and repeated

What can you do as a parent to stop bullying?

The recommended method of intervention, when we observe or

suspect a bullying behavior, is open discussion with the child. It is

important that we, as adults, inform ourselves correctly so that we can

direct the child to appropriate behavior, which does not favor attitudes

such as “answer him the same way”

Some questions to ask before you can start a discussion:

-Do you know what bullying means?

-Do you know how to tell if someone is just being mean to you or is

being bullied?

-Did someone at school make you feel weak, helpess, or ugly?

-Do you happen to be mischievous with other children just for fun?

-Are using nicknames in your group of friends? Is there anyone who is

offended by the nickname you gave them?

by Remus Adam,

student in 11th grade,

Romania

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Cyberbullying or online harassment is bullying through mobile

devices or the internet. It is very unpleasant because it can be public,

difficult to download from the Internet and can affect you all the time,

even when you are at home. In addition, it is always posted online and

will have an impact on your future.

What does cyberbullying look like?

Receiving threatening or offensive messages via social media, such

as Facebook.

Send pictures or videos of others with you in order to offend or

embarrass you.

Spreading rumors about you via SMS or chat apps like WhatsApp.

Create a fake profile with your photos or post statuses and

comments as coming from you.

How can cyberbullying affect you?

A person who is being harassed online can experience many negative

feelings as well:

‣ Feelings of guilt;

‣ The person may feel trapped in a hopeless situation;

‣ She can feel alone, as if no one is supporting her;

‣ She may feel excluded;

‣ Feelings of depression, upset, and rejection by the group;

‣ Feelings of fear and insecurity;

‣ Anxiety and stress.

The most common types of cyberbullying are:

Harassment means constantly and deliberately mocking a person,

for example by posting pictures or messages that may affect mental

integrity.

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False profiles means profiles created by the aggressor on the

internet that borrow the identity of other people, in order to

facilitate communication with their victims.

Gossip is issuing statements online that may denigrate a person.

Disclosure is the use of tricks to obtain personal information of the

victim, which the aggressor should make public.

Exclusion is intentionally removing a child from an online

discussion group, group messages, applications or games.

Sabotage means changing all the details on someone's personal page

when that person forgets to restrict access.

Online tracking means intimidating harassing behavior in order to

bring conflict into real life.

Trolling is provocation for no reason, launching a discussion in

order to create a conflict of ideas.

What can you do to prevent cyber bullying?

o Do not post personal information such as address or phone number

and do not share it with strangers. Be careful what kind of pictures

you post or share.

o Keep your passwords to yourself. He doesn't even tell his friends.

o Don't reply to messages when you're nervous or upset. An answer

from you can encourage the harasser to continue.

o Log out for a while

o Report and block people who bother you.

Bibliography:

https://www.unicef.org/romania/ro/pove%C8%99ti/cyberbullying-ce-este-

%C8%99i-cum-%C3%AEi-punem-cap%C4%83t

https://www.stopbullying.gov/cyberbullying/what-is-it

https://oradenet.ro/viata-ta-online/prietenii/ce-este-cyberbullying-ul

by Laura Adriana Curaleț & Cătălin Curaleț, Romania

31 | P a g e


Whenever we think about school violence we know someone

who had experienced it, is currently dealing with this problem or it

may be that we are the ones who dealt with it in the past and are still

suffering the price of not taking care of our burden and pain earlier.

Students are prone to encounter bullying in different forms more than

people of any other age groups. They can be mocked for their believes,

appearance or even their interests. All it takes is one minute of

weaknesses in front of the oppressor and it can cause years of physical

and psychological distress.

I am the best example that you can find close to you. I was

bullied through the whole primary and secondary school by the same

group of boys. I even decided to get to another school, far from my

home to avoid them… Unluckily for me, they went to the same school,

as they lived close.

I always say that the only good thing in going to the secondary

school was meeting my best friend as I still don’t see any other good

points of studying there. I was bullied for my appearance as I have

always been bigger than the rest of students. Their cruelty didn’t help

with it, it made things worse. The more painful words I heard, the

more sweets I would buy on the way home. I would go on a strict diets

to get fitter, but yo-yo effect was something that would prevent me

from getting fitter, and bullying wouldn’t stop. This cycle would go on

and on for many years.

Now I am an adult who is still dealing with her past. As I grew up, I

started to accept myself for who I am, but at the back of my head I still

heard that I am not fit enough, not good enough. Last year I decided to

talk about it with the specialists, they helped me with understanding

32 | P a g e


and discovering many things about myself. Now I am on a good path to

become more healthy, both mentally and physically. Take into

consideration that it happens almost twenty years after my first

encounter with bullying. All it takes is one person who would Say No

To Bullying.

by Natalia Zakrzewska, ZSI Słupsk, Poland

Bullying is divided into two groups. The first group is mental

abuse and the second is physical abuse. Psychological bullying is

mistreatment by affecting the psychology of that person. It is not

noticeable in any way. Most often, the person who is the victim of such

violence does not admit it, does not ask for help, is secretive and

withdrawn or pretends that everything is fine. And physical abuse can

involve children, women, the elderly and animals. The symptoms of

such bullying are more pronounced in the victim than in the case of

psychological abuse, as we notice bruises, fractures and other visible

sings.

It is easier fir us to help someone with such bullying because we can

see it all. Physical abuse is very painful.

The person who does this usually takes out their stress and

problems on the other person. There is also a group of bullying and

this is cyberbullying. This is otherwise online violence, which is based

on making fun of or humiliating someone while using different social

media. A victim of such violence 0ften cannot cope with it, and there

are also casees of suicide by cyberbullying. So say no to bullying and

save someone’s life. Do not pass by it indifferently because the same

may or may happen to you.

by Amelia Jarotek, ZSI Słupsk, Poland

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We face a lot of bullying these days.

This is due to a host of different

circumstances. Virtually every feature

that differs stands out from the

rest, atypical, is usually treated as

worse and leads to different

comments and opinions among

others.

We must remember not to

underestimate the problem. When we

see a situation of bullying or making

fun of someone, we should react

immediately. As young people, let's be mature. Let us focus on

ourselves instead of judging others because we are usually not

perfect ourselves. People heal their complexes by pointing them out

to others. If you feel that you are a victim of bullying, remember that

it is not your fault. Ask others for help. However, if you see

someone in this situation, react.

There are many causes of bullying, skin color, body weight, and

virtually anything that can be a problem for others. An example of

such bullying, racial exclusion, by the way referring to my police

school, is the very famous case of Mr. Georg Floyd until recently.

He was an African American who was murdered by policeman Derek

Chauvin. During this time, Floyd repeated the words "I can't breathe"

which quickly circulated the internet. The brutal incident was

recorded by witnesses and published on the web.

He was overpowered by police officers in a way that made it

impossible to breathe. The news of his death sparked mass riots and

34 | P a g e


protests. It was a situation that pushed people to act. Everyone knew

the problem of racism was big, but on 5/25/2020 the suffering

spilled over. We have seen the rage caused by helplessness, lack of

change.

This situation touched the whole world. Everyone talked about it,

everyone went on strike. The demonstration was joined by many

famous people such as, for example, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish.

Back then, the most popular slogan was "Black Lives Matter".

For some, only these events opened their eyes. They began to

notice the problem and undertook various reflections.

This was just one example among the multitude. Often the victims

of exclusion are obese people, or on the contrary, people thinner than

the norm shows. A lot of teenagers, and we're not talking only about

girls, are struggling with a lot of complexes. We see beautiful, often

reworked silhouettes, and we begin to compare each other. Often

people point out to us one more fold, acne. We become sadder, more

closed. We must remember that we are human, that each of us has

more belly fat, some cellulite on our legs, body hair, and that our skin

structure is not perfectly smooth. This is who we are. Let us try to

love ourselves as we are, let us not compare ourselves to others, let

us not point out their other faults. Anyway, these are not flaws, this is

us, this is how we look, it is completely normal and beautiful.

Let us remember that everyone is different, but each of us is

human and deserves respect. Nobody should fear for their life, be

humiliated just because they are different. After all, it is thanks to this

that the world is diverse. Instead of negating, judging, let's try to

praise and appreciate. Let us raise people's self-esteem, let us

support them, it will also affect us much better. But first, let everyone

start with themselves. Let's love ourselves and change the world. It is

35 | P a g e


up to us - young people, that everything depends, let's show that we

are different. Let's make the world a better place, so that each of us

has a better life, that everyone is happy.

by Vanessa Barteczka, ZSI Słupsk, Poland

Bullying is a common problem in society, despite many

organizations fighting against all kinds of violence on various

grounds, e.g. racial or religion. In my surroundings, the main reason

is racism. You often hear about the discrimination due to the color

of the skin in football, various campaigns are fighting it, sports

organizations support them by changing logos or graphics during

matches.

One of the biggest reasons for bullying others is their

appearance. I was a victim of this kind of violence when I was

younger. I had much greater weight with short stature, my peers had

reason to insult me and point fingers at me. I also had friends who

were called on by others for being too skinny or not looking like the

rest. I also experienced exclusion from the group because I had fewer

skills. It was in my freshman year of high school when I came to my

first training with the new team and I pulled out because I didn't

have as many training units as they did before. The most important

thing in such situations is not to bury your head in the sand, ask for

help if you are a victim ourselves and properly react if we see such a

36 | P a g e


situation and help the person who is under attack. As young people,

we can show maturity and show that we are against such behavior.

I have some tips for people who are victims of such behavior:

1.First of all, don't be afraid to ask for help, ask your parents, friends

or siblings.

2.Try to pose as attackers and not get in your head, as much as

possible ignore the stupid comments.

3. If anyone goes too far, report it to the appropriate authorities.

4. Go to a specialist, e.g. a psychologist or therapist.

5. Make a list of emergency numbers and always have it with you

(the police, people who can help you - family, friends, etc.).

Bullying can be divided into physical and mental. They are most

often used simultaneously. Using the knowledge I have, I would like to

present what bullying looks like in practice

Bullying is very common. In Polish law, apart from the general ban

on bullying, we have separate penalties in the case of bullying; a child,

one of the spouses or a pet. In this case, the oppressor may be

punished by up to 8 years. However, it can also be of many different

kinds.

Psychological abuse does not have to be associated with physical

abuse. It can happen at home, work, or school, and can be a wife,

husband, child, or elderly person. How to free yourself from the

perpetrator, from intimidation, stalking, control and humiliation?

37 | P a g e


We usually have no problems recognizing physical violence. Its

use causes pain and often leaves traces in the form of wounds,

fractures and bruises. Although not everyone can cope with physical

violence, they can recognize it. In this regard, psychological abuse is

more problematic. Often times, the victim of psychological abuse is

unaware that they are dealing with bullying. It is also not always

known how to prove psychological abuse, the traces of which are not

obvious.

Physical bullying is when a person's behavior towards another

person is geared towards inflicting physical pain. Physical abuse can

manifest on the abused person's body, but this is not always the case.

Often times, the perpetrator of violence deliberately inflicts pain in

such a way that it leaves no trace of it.Physical violence also affects

the psyche of the abused person. The beaten person loses the sense of

security, does not accept himself, and often even blames himself for

the violence he experiences.

Such people have serious problems with establishing healthy

interpersonal relationships, they fall into depression and anxiety

states. It often happens that victims of violence later abuse others

themselves.

Don't be indifferent, help if you see a problem. You can save someone's

life!

I'm going to tell you 2 stories where you choose the continuation of

our main characters and oh here they are: First story : Josh and a little

girl named Kate Second story : Stella and a teacher named Tiffany

38 | P a g e


1. The first story was not so long ago, just a few months ago, when a

boy named Josh moved to a school in a tiny town where everyone

knew each other. He moved there with his parents because his parents

were tired of the noise of the city and they wanted to slow down their

lives because life in the city moved so fast.

Josh wasn't happy about it, he wasn't the most popular boy in his

school but he had a group of friends that he liked to go out with,

unfortunately he couldn't do anything about it so when the first of

September came, he got dressed up and went to school.

As he was walking to school he noticed some two girls bullying a

younger girl who was apparently also walking to the start of the year:

Josh had two choices at this point: First choice to ignore the issue

completely and let the little girl be bullied further or second choice to

help the little girl, to dissuade those girls who were bullying her, if one

chose the first choice the story would go that the little girl would never

be able to stand up to anyone and would be abused in the future, but if

one chose the second choice where Josh would help the little girl the

story would go that the little girl would be able to stand up because

someone showed her that it was possible and sometimes worthwhile

to believe in herself, the little girl would be very successful. Josh was

very welcomed at school and the publicity about what he did brought

him a lot of cool company.

2. The second story is about a girl who loved music loved to sing,

learned to play different instruments, played the piano and violin

beautifully. She decided to record her own song. The song took a long

time to write, when she got the hang of it she decided to go to her

music teacher at school and ask her what she thought about it, as she

thought so she did, when they sat down in the hall and both listened to

39 | P a g e


the song performed by Stella, the teacher Tiffany was very touched and

said that she liked it very much.

Stella, however, did not come only for the teacher to express her

opinion on the song, but asked to play it in the school radio tower, to

gain reverberation, the teacher said that it was a good idea and the

next day at break Stella's song was heard throughout the school, but

unfortunately she did not meet with positive feedback, she heard texts

in the school corridors: "what kind of crap did someone put out'' or

"who wrote it anyway, it's pathetic", when rumors spread that Stella

wrote the song, she broke down pointing fingers, laughing in the

hallway and saying mean things were a daily occurrence, At one point

it got to the point where someone pushed Stella, "as a joke", Stella cried

and the fear "paralyzed" her so much that she couldn't stand up, all this

is seen by Tiffany's teacher, she has two choices in front of her: Choice

one, get the attention of the people who pushed Stella, help her get up

and leave or choice two, also get their attention, help Stella get up but

talk to her some more.

The story continues with choice one, Stella broke down and never

picked up an instrument again and her music career was over, and the

story continues with choice two, Stella actually talked to Mrs. Tiffani,

Stella decided not to care about other people's opinion, at least not that

much, she decided to continue with her music career and became a

world famous singer.

Through these stories I would like to show how easy it is to say no to

help, that sometimes all it takes is a kind word, standing behind

someone and believing in them, a smile or a conversation to prevent

something worse from happening.

by Justyna Proniewicz, ZSI Słupsk, Poland

40 | P a g e


-Don't participate

in the action: If you

see any classmate

bullying another

classmate, try to stop

it, but you mustn't

take part.

-Talk to parents, teachers, principals, and staff about bullying at

school: If you know of someone suffering bullying try to inform some

adult.

-Become Familiar With Your School's Policies: In case you are

bullied you can ask for help at school.

-Report Bullying Incidents: You can’t be quiet, you must tell

someone what’s happening.

-Recruit Other Parents: If you are afraid of telling their parents, you

can try telling yours or others.

-Ask the PTA/PTO to Sponsor a Bullying

-Prevention Program: If you have some information about bullying

you may know what to do in case you see any situation like that.

41 | P a g e


WHAT IS BULLYING Bullying is the exposure of a child to physical and

psychological harm intentionally and repeatedly by another child, or a

group of children, usually at school age. (when he or she goes to

school.)

HOW BULLYING HAPPENS School bullying usually happens at

break times (during recess), in line for class, in the bathrooms,

corridors, class changes, when entering and leaving the center, in

school transportation or in the dining room. It can also happen in the

classroom, when the teacher is writing on the blackboard, or attending

to other students.

AT WHAT AGE OCCURS BULLYING According to statistics, the most

common age that bullying occurs is between 7 and 14 years, however,

there are behaviors that appear in younger children, but they cannot

be measured for lack of scientific methods.

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THE BULLY Harasses the victim in public places, but difficult to

detect by parents or teachers, such as corridors, playground or school

canteens.

THE PROFILE OF A BULLY Aggressive personality. Under control.

Impulsive. Tendency to violent behavior. Physically strong.

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Romanian Editorial Team

Coordinator:

Mihaela Apetrei

Editor:

Andreea-Dumitrița Rață

Students:

Andrei-Denis Rotaru

Lucian-Vlăduț Profir

Robert-Ionuț Ștefănucă

Lavinia-Roxana Apetrei

Students Magazine_no 3_2022

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