Bullying
Historically, in cases of peer-to-peer abuse, whether physical or emotional,
the blame is laid on the belligerent boys or girls. The bystanders who hover, chime
in, or squirm on the outskirts of the 'mean' action are dismissed as irrelevant.
Also dismissed are those who spread the tale of the victim's woe through the
grapevine. In truth, however, this supporting cast plays a significant role in peer-to-peer
violence....Bystanders make or break bullying episodes." (Our Children) This
article examines the role of the bystander in bullying incidents and outlines some
strategies to help encourage young bystanders to act in these situations.
OUR CHILDREN
Nov./Dec. 2003, pp. 8-10
Reprinted with permission from National PTA. Article originally appeared in OUR
CHILDREN magazine, Vol.29, No.3, November/December 2003 pp. 8-10.
The Bystander: A Bully's Often-Unrecognized Accomplice
By Margaret Sagarese and Charlene C. Giannetti
A few years ago, an upstate New York newspaper headline noted that 60 high school
girls and boys, ages 14 to 21, faced criminal prosecution for leering at and cheering
on two brawling 15-year-old boys. The headline and accompanying story startled us.
What we found amazing about this news item was that the police were holding "the
human boxing ring" accountable. The "innocent bystander" status usually
accorded people on the periphery of such violence was ruled out.
The furor over the Glenbrook North High School (Northbrook, Illinois) incident this
past May also stripped bystanders of innocence. Even though no one watching or videotaping
the vicious female hazing was formally charged, public outrage reverberated throughout
the country. The senior girls barraged junior girls with mud, garbage, human feces,
and paint thinner while beating many...
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