BULLYING IN CANADA AND FIRST NATIONS

There are many social issues that need to be addressed, but bullying in one way or another has affected everybody.  Bullying is classified as "aggressive behaviour" where a dominant individual or group abuses their greater power of threatening or teasing a less dominant individual.  Bullying usually has a large impact on how a person perceives and presents themselves in society.  The main issues associated with bullying are self-harm, poor mental and physical health and social isolation, as well as suicide, educational problems and relationship problems.

There is a "myth" that children grow out of bullying.  In fact, without intervention, a majority of youth who bully others in childhood will continue to use their power negatively through adolescence and into adulthood.  The nature of bullying changes as children mature.  The four most common types of bullying are: 

Verbal Bullying - ( name calling, sarcasm, teasing, spreading rumours, threatening, making negative reference's to one's culture, ethnicity, race, religion, gender or sexual orientation).

Social Bullying - ( mobbing, scapegoating, excluding others from a group, humiliating others with public gestures or graffiti intended to put others down).

Physical Bullying - ( hitting, poking, pinching, chasing, shoving, coercing, destroying or stealing belongings, unwanted sexual touching).

Cyber Bullying - ( using the internet or text messaging to intimidate, put down, spread rumours or make fun of someone).

Some people think bullying is just part of growing up and a way for young people to learn to stick up for themselves.  However, it isn't normal, it is a learned behaviour that hurts everyone.  Those who get bullied, those doing the bullying, and the people watching.  It damages our schools, our communities and our society at large.  Remember, both genders engage in bullying and even adults bully.

According to an article in the Canadian Journal of Public Health, 2011, there are no data on the prevalance risk indicators and impact on bullying on First Nations youth on-reserve in Canada.  Even the First Nations Regional Longitudnal Health Survey, a survey specifically designed for First Nations living on-reserve, does not address bullying in the youth questionnaire.  But they have found that bullying is more common for First Nations youth living on-reserve, compared to other Canadian youths.

We can all play a role in preventing bullying.  Step one is to learn what bullying is, step two is to decide that it is not acceptable and step three is for students, schools, workplaces, districts and communities (including First Nations) to take action by developing effective bullying strategies.  There is no one prevention program, resource or approach.  It will take a concerted sustained effort by all of us to stop bullying in our schools and communities.

Meegwetch,

Jennifer 

References:    Canadian Public Health Association 2011

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