When I think of bullies, I normally think of the two characters on the right: Nelson from The Simpsons, who shoves kids into lockers and steals their lunch money, or Regina George from Mean Girls (played by Rachel McAdams), who gossips behind other girls’ backs and won’t let certain girls sit with her at lunch.
These are typical stereotypes when it comes to boys and girls who bully. However, according to a recent story by Metro Canada, there are some similarities when it comes to how boys and girls bully.
Statistics from PREVnet – a national network against bullying in which Red Cross is part – say boys tend to bully more frequently and physically than girls. However, when it comes to social bullying, boys and girls bully at the same level.
Despite this similarity, social bullying might look different depending on the gender. Boys who bully tend to not be popular, while girls who do are often in the in-crowd. Boys are usually more direct when they bully, in comparison to girls, who are more indirect.
Regardless of gender, social bullying can be difficult to detect, versus physical bullying, which means it can be overlooked. Also, witnesses may fear retaliation if they speak up.
The Canadian Red Cross’ Stand Up to Bullying website has a lot of information and tips for parents, teachers and youth about how they can put a stop to bullying, whether it’s physical or social. Bystanders can play an important role - when a youth who is a bystander stands up to the person who is bullying and tells them to knock it off, the bullying stops.
Find out more ways on how you can stand up to bullying.