13 solutions to bullying that schools should apply

Bullying or bullying is a reality that, although it is not new or recent, has traditionally received little attention until relatively few years ago. It is a phenomenon that causes great suffering and severe repercussions to those who suffer it, both in the short and long term.

That is why it is necessary to develop and generate mechanisms to prevent, detect and eliminate it from our classrooms. In this article we are going to propose twelve solutions or strategies against bullying that could be applied at school.

• Recommended article: "The 5 types of bullying or bullying"

Bullying or bullying

Bullying or bullying is considered to be any act or situation in which one or more subjects carry out different types of actions with the purpose of dominating and causing pain or suffering to another or other subjects, establishing a relationship of dominance or superiority between the victim and the aggressor and carrying out said acts voluntarily and persistently in the time.

The type of acts that are carried out can vary enormously, being able to be both direct and indirect:

physical attacks, insults, harassment, humiliation, robbery, identity theft, recording and publication of some element that represents a vexation of the affected person, creation of networks to ridicule him or even inducement to crime or suicide. At present, all these types of actions are punishable by law, and the aggressor or those legally responsible for him can face different types of punishment.

The consequences for the victims of this case can be, as we have said before, devastating. Adaptive problems, increased level of anxiety, perception of inefficiency or helplessness, less concentration, loss of interest, decreased self esteem and social participation. Also insecurity, sudden school failure (which is itself a possible indicator), depressive disorders, less perception of social support and difficulties relating to and trusting others.

In some cases suicide attempts may appear. It may also happen that they learn the behavior that they have had with them and later replicate it with other people.

That is why stopping this type of phenomenon is essential, since it generates suffering and restricts the development of the child or adolescent in question.

13 strategies to solve bullying

Preventing and solving situations of bullying is not an easy task: it requires a systematic study of the different cases and the mechanisms to through which it is produced to subsequently develop strategies that allow harassment not to appear or eliminate it in cases where it exists. It is necessary to work in depth and constantly different aspects.

Below we reflect thirteen useful solutions and strategies to fight against the scourge of bullying.

1. Sensitize, raise awareness and provide tools to the school institution and the teaching staff

It is necessary to sensitize the educational institutions themselves and teachers, who in many cases lack sufficient knowledge about bullying to be able to detect it. In addition, although fortunately it happens less and less, in some cases the bullying situations allowing their occurrence without having repercussions (with phrases such as "they are things of children").

Hold training meetings for the center's professionals, teach them to detect cases and signs of abuse and the importance of acting against it and developing or following protocols in this regard is fundamental

2. Involve the class group

The class group is the context where acts of aggression usually occur, with a large number of witnesses to the act who witness or even participate in the aggression. In fact, the aggressor often repeats the bullying as it provides acceptance or attention from the rest of her peers. That is why it is extremely important to work with the class group as a whole to prevent bullying, causing the reaction to bullying to be negative and violent attitudes and intolerant.

3. Don't make bullying a taboo

Bullying is often seen as an unpleasant phenomenon that is not usually discussed openly and that it tends to be hidden, and this could mean that the students themselves do not know how to recognize it. To combat this silence, it is necessary to speak openly about what bullying means by organizing classes where talk about it, its consequences both in the short and long term and possible measures are proposed to avoid it.

4. Emotional education and education in values

One of the most direct ways to prevent acts of bullying is by applying tutorial action plans. in which there is room for elements focused on the emotional education and values ​​of the students. Working on values ​​such as tolerance or respect is essential, as is teaching how to manage and express one's own emotions (which in turn facilitates the acquisition of empathy). An example of an activity that can favor it is through the theatrical representation of different situations, the viewing of films that deal with the subject in all its harshness or the discussion around important moments or themes for each minor.

5. Realization of cooperative activities

To arouse empathy in the group and prevent bullying from flourishing, it is very useful to carry out group activities. in which the whole class has to work together, establishing relationships between them to achieve a common goal. Carrying out group games or projects in which all the components of the group have to coordinate is a good example of this.

6. Avoid mediating between the harassed and the harasser

The idea of ​​mediation is a very useful and very positive practice to deal with conflicts maintained between two parties considered equal to each other. However, it is contraindicated in cases of bullying, since in this situation there is an unequal relationship between the victim and the aggressor that will not allow the practice to function correctly.

7. Work with the injured party

The assaulted subject must be cared for in such a way that he does not feel abandoned but supported and accompanied, making him see that things are being done to solve his situation. It is essential that you express your emotions, feelings, thoughts and doubts without questioning them, through methods such as the empty chair or role-playing games.

8. Families: communication and participation

Families of students also have an important role in helping to detect and treat cases of bullying. The existence of fluid communication between the communicative institution and the family is essential, in such a way that both nuclei have information regarding the situation of the minor. Likewise, advising families and teaching them different educational guidelines that can improve the situation of the minor (whether the victim or the aggressor) is of great importance. It may also be necessary to resort to criminal proceedings to resolve the case.

9. Consider the offending party

One of the most common mistakes made during interventions in case of bullying is the fact of focusing only on the attacked party. Although this is the element that should receive the most attention once the harassment has been established, It is also necessary to work with the aggressor if we want to solve the case of bullying and stop the attacks. It is necessary to make him see the possible consequences of his actions (for example, making him understand how the victim must feel) and try to awaken empathy and commitment in him.

10. Creation of anonymous reporting methods

Many minors often do not dare or do not want to report cases they have seen or experienced for fear of possible reprisals or because they do not want it to be known that they have been the ones who have reported. It is necessary to make it clear to minors that those who report bullying are not informers, but are collaborating so that one or several people stop suffering its effects. In any case, it is very useful to create anonymous reporting methods in such a way that anyone can report a case without being able to identify them. An example is a virtual mailbox for anonymous complaints.

11. Establish protocols and procedures for evaluation and intervention and include them in the teaching plan

Although today most centers already do this, It is essential that there are clear and concise protocols that explain what procedures must be carried out in cases of harassment. The use of assessment tests and surveys such as the CESC (Behavior and Social Experiences in Class) is also recommended.

12. psychological therapy

The use of psychological therapy It can be essential to overcome the consequences of bullying, especially with regard to the subject attacked. Through this means, various techniques can be carried out that will contribute to increasing the self-esteem of the affected person, teach them skills social and mechanisms to deal with conflicts, help you express yourself and contribute to the disappearance or reduction of apathy, anxiety, feelings of helplessness and hopelessness or possible depressive or personality disorders derived from bullying.

13. To follow

Even if a case seems solved, it is necessary to carry out continuous monitoring over time in order to verify that the bullying has completely stopped and is not repeated, as well as possible consequences of harassment in the medium and long term. Establishing regular meetings with the victim and the aggressor (separately) for at least three months after the harassment stops and maintaining communication with the families is essential.