13 solutions to bullying that could be applied in schools

Some methods have been tested in different schools, and they are effective.

Bullying or school harassment is a reality that, while not new or recent, has traditionally received little attention until relatively recently. 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".

The bullying or school bullying

Bullying or school harassment 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 aggressor and the aggressed and carrying out such acts voluntarily and persistently over time.

The type of acts that are carried out can vary enormously, being able to be both direct and indirect: physical aggression, insults, insults, humiliation, humiliation, theft, identity theft, recording and publication of any element that may involve theft. and publication of some element that supposes a vexation of the affected person, creation of networks to ridicule him or even induction to the delinquency or to the suicide. At present, all these types of actions are punishable by law, and the aggressor or those legally responsible for him/her may face different types of punishment.

The consequences for the victims of this harassment can be, as mentioned above, devastating. There are usually adaptive problems, increased anxiety, perception of ineffectiveness or helplessness, reduced concentration, loss of interest, decreased self-esteem and social participation. Also insecurity, sudden school failure (which is in itself a possible indicator), depressive disorders, lower perception of social support and difficulties in relating to and trusting others.

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

That is why it is essential to stop this type of phenomena, since they generate suffering and restrict the development of the child or adolescent in question.

13 strategies to solve bullying

Preventing and solving bullying situations is not a simple task: it requires a systematic study of the different cases and the mechanisms through which it occurs in order to subsequently develop strategies to prevent bullying or eliminate it in those cases where it does exist. It is necessary to work in depth and constantly on different aspects of the problem..

Below are thirteen useful solutions and strategies to fight the scourge of bullying.

1. Sensitizing, raising awareness and providing 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 the necessary tools to fight against bullying.In many cases, they lack sufficient knowledge about bullying to be able to detect it. Furthermore, although fortunately it is happening less and less, in some cases bullying situations are actively ignored, allowing them to occur without repercussions (with phrases such as "it's kid's stuff").

Holding training meetings for school professionals, teaching them how to detect cases and signs of abuse and the importance of acting against it and developing or following protocols in this regard is essential.

2. Involve the class group

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

3. Do not make bullying taboo

Bullying is often regarded as an unpleasant phenomenon that is not usually talked about openly and tends to be hidden. and that it tends to be hidden, which can lead to the students themselves not knowing how to recognize it. To combat this silence, it is necessary to speak openly about bullying by organizing classes where bullying, its short and long term consequences and possible measures to avoid it are discussed.

4. Emotional education and education in values

One of the most direct ways to prevent acts of bullying is through the implementation of 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 fundamental, as well as 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 visualization of films that treat the subject in all its crudeness or the discussion around moments or important subjects for each minor.

5. Carrying out cooperative activities

To awaken the empathy of the group and to favor that bullying does not flourish, it is very useful to carry out group activities in which the whole class has to work together, establishing relationships among them to achieve a common goal. The realization of group games or projects in which all the components of the group have to coordinate. is a good example of this.

6. Avoid mediation between the bullied and the bully

The idea of mediation is a very useful and positive practice to deal with conflicts between two parties to deal with conflicts 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 aggressor and aggressed that will not allow a correct functioning of the practice.

7. Working with the aggrieved party

The assaulted subject should be attended to in such a way that he/she does not feel abandoned but supported and accompanied.The person should be made to see that things are being done to solve the situation. It is essential that he expresses his emotions, feelings, thoughts and doubts without questioning them, using methods such as the empty chair or role-playing games.

8. Families: communication and participation

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

9. Taking the aggressor into account

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

10. Creation of anonymous reporting methods

Many children 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 children that those who report bullying are not whistleblowers, but that they are helping to stop one or more people from bullying. to stop one or more people from suffering the effects of bullying. In any case, it is very useful to create anonymous reporting methods so that anyone can report a case without being identified. One example is a virtual mailbox for anonymous reporting.

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

While most schools already do this today, it is imperative that clear and concise protocols are in place to explain the procedures to be followed in cases of bullying and harassment, it is imperative that clear and concise protocols are in place to explain the procedures to be followed in cases of bullying and harassment.. The use of assessment tests and surveys such as the CESC (Conduct and Social Experiences in Class) is also recommended.

12. Psychological therapy

The use of psychological therapy can be fundamental in overcoming the consequences of bullying, especially with regard to the subject being bullied. By this means, various techniques can be used to increase the self-esteem of the affected person, teach him/her social skills and mechanisms for coping with conflicts, help him/her to express him/herself and contribute to the disappearance or reduction of apathy, anxiety, feelings of helplessness and hopelessness or possible depressive or personality disorders resulting from bullying.

13. Follow-up

Even if a case appears to be resolved it is necessary to follow up continuously over time in order to verify that the bullying has stopped completely and does not recur.and possible consequences of the harassment in the medium and long term. Establishing regular meetings with the victim and the aggressor (separately) for at least three months after the cessation of the bullying and maintaining communication with the families is essential.