School empathy first line against bullies

By Maia Szalavitz

Source

WHEN I was bullied in junior high in the late 1970s, fatalism prevailed. Most parents and educators seemed to think ignoring it was the best solution. Back then, “telling” authorities seemed to carry at least as many risks as benefits: Even a geek as socially clueless as I was could see that getting the bullies in trouble would likely mean more trouble for me. Bullying was just an immutable part of human nature.

The tragedy of 15-year-old Phoebe Prince’s bullying-related suicide is that today, we know much more about the lasting harm that can result from bullying and about how to minimize it.

Our nature as a species is to form and enforce social hierarchies, and bullying has been found in all cultures and throughout history. Yet this behavior is much more malleable than previously believed. Recent findings in evolutionary neuroscience suggest that although humans have our selfish and brutal aspects, we are as well adapted to cooperate as to compete. The key is to create situations that enhance our kind side and play down the darker traits.

That’s not what’s happening in many American schools. As in Prince’s case, it’s rare that teachers and administrators are completely in the dark; the schools with the worst bullying tend to be those that look the other way. So bullies operate with impunity. Worse, teachers and staff who have not yet worked out their own issues from adolescence can play at being “cool kids” — implicitly or sometimes explicitly enabling the exclusion and ridicule directed at the outcasts.

The climate set by school leadership can make the difference between a school that is hell on earth for the less socially adept and one that is at least safe and tolerable. This is because our brains take their cues about what kind of behavior is acceptable and what is inappropriate from the most powerful people around us. In a well-run school, those people are the administrators and teachers. If they tolerate bullying, so will everyone else.

The stress that results doesn’t just hurt emotionally; it can impair academic performance. In high-stress situations, the higher cognitive regions of the brain actually shut down. “This makes learning much less efficient and sometimes impossible,” says Dr. Bruce Perry, a leading child psychiatrist. “An educational climate that tolerates relational hostility and marginalization of children is doomed to be an academic as well as a social failure.” (A disclosure: Perry and I co-authored a book.)

Even worse, the uncontrollable stress experienced by those who are bullied can be toxic to the developing brain, not just in the short term. Being bullied in childhood is associated with later depression, anxiety disorders, addictions, and even conditions like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

This association may not be fully causal; bullies tend to go after children who seem “different” to begin with. Then again, other forms of child abuse can increase the risk for virtually all mental illnesses and even physical disorders like heart disease and diabetes.

So how can schools reduce the toll of bullying? The Department of Defense recently funded a review of the research on “school connectedness,” out of concern about the effects of frequent school changes on children of service members. It found that schools that create a caring climate not only have reductions in bullying and improved academic performance, but also have fewer alcohol and drug problems, less early-age sex, and even reductions in suicidal thoughts and attempts.

While “school connectedness” and “creating a compassionate climate” may sound impossibly fuzzy and utopian, administrators who emphasize kindness towards others and mutual respect in both their actions and their words have been able to make dramatic improvements. A recent review of the research on formal anti-bullying programs by a group called the Campbell Collaboration finds that on average, well-thought-out programs can reduce the number of bullying incidents by a fifth or more.

The most important element is system-wide determination — which starts from the top and permeates down — to support empathetic values. Staff must refuse to ignore acts of bullying and exclusion. “Without that, the zero tolerance or other anti-bullying interventions are drops in the bucket,” says Jessie Klein, an assistant professor of sociology and criminal justice at Adelphi University.

Districts must also avoid some common errors. “Simply putting anti-bullying programs into a distressed, overwhelmed, depleted school will not work,’’ Perry stresses.

And while bullies need to be punished, a general climate of “cracking down” and “getting tough” can backfire. Measures like metal detectors, sniffer dogs and locker searches can make a school feel more like a prison, not a place where people feel safe and respected.

The bad news is that our schools reflect our values — the way we view some people as worthwhile and others as losers. The good news is that we choose the values we express. And if we want not only to fight bullying, but also to reduce the risk of mental illness, cut drug use and teen pregnancy and improve academic achievement, we can start by creating caring, inclusive schools.

Maia Szalavitz is co-author of “Born for Love: Why Empathy is Essential — and Endangered.’’

Online campaign raises child abuse awareness with cartoons

It’s a sad fact that children as young as five years old are targeted by abusers online. So, it makes sense to raise awareness of online safety by sending a message straight to them, in a way they can understand, rather than preaching to their parents.

Now, several online safety awareness cartoons are being launched on behalf of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (Ceop) as part of the EU Internet Safety Day, targeted towards children aged five to seven.

Initially, when the association was set up four years ago, it only focussed its campaigns towards older children and teenagers. However, head of Ceop, Jim Gamble explains the importance of having to send a message out to infant web users: “Unfortunately, some of the victims we see here are very young. People will try to find out where they are, where they go to school. Children can expose themselves to unnecessary risk.”

Speaking to the BBC, Gamble took some time to explain the cartoon-based campaign: “We do see children who are younger and younger being exposed to risk – and the risk is not always clear. There are a number of subtle messages.” He added: “Unbelievably some of these children have access to webcams, but that’s the world we live in.”

Ceop revealed every week, around 500 cases are reported using the “report abuse” button found on some websites. Young teenage girls were found to be the most at risk.

Research by telecommunications watchdog Ofcom published last autumn found 80 per cent of five to seven-year-olds and 94 per cent of nine to eleven year-olds actively use the internet. Meanwhile, more than a quarter of parents said they were concerned about the content their five to seven-year-olds were accessing.

The Lee and Kim cartoons are available to view at www.thinkuknow.co.uk.

Source: http://www.broadbandgenie.co.uk/broadband-news/online-safety-campaign-raises-child-abuse-awareness-with-cartoons

Agencies launch effort to curb abuse

Child Abuse Deaths, Incareration Rates Top Agenda at Oklahoma Women’s Coalition Advocacy Day at the Capitol

OKLAHOMA CITY (Feb. 8, 2010) – The Oklahoma Women’s Coalition will host Advocacy Day at the Capitol on Tuesday, March 2. The event will focus on issues affecting women and girls — and encourages Oklahomans across the state to get involved in legislation impacting women, families, and communities.

The event luncheon will feature the gubernatorial candidates for 2010, including Lt. Gov. Jari Askins, Attorney General Drew Edmondson, and State Senator Randy Brogdon. They will share their concerns and solutions regarding women and girls issues.

“The Coalition wants to help Oklahomans learn about the legislative process, understand the issues, and meet with lawmakers at the State Capitol,” said Jean Warner, board chair of the OWC. “The statistics on the state of women and girls in Oklahoma is alarming.”

Oklahoma ranks first in the nation in child abuse deaths and the number of women incarcerated per capita. The state also has high rates of teen births and domestic violence. The Coalition is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that formed in 2008 with more than 250 individual members and more than two dozen organizational members. The mission is to improve the lives of Oklahoma women and girls through education and advocacy.

General admission is $30; and $15 for students.  Deadline for registration is Feb. 26.  Additional information and online registration is available at www.oklahomawomenscoalition.org.

Source: http://www.gtrnews.com/greater-tulsa-reporter/5086/child-abuse-deaths-incareration-rates-top-agenda-at-oklahoma-women-s-coalition-advocacy-day-at-the-capitol

Breaking the Cycle

“Engaging Dads, Cherishing Children”
Prevent Child Abuse Indiana
Date: Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Time: 7:30am – 5:00pm
Location: Sheraton Hotel Downtown Indianapolis
Street: 31 West Ohio Street
City/Town: Indianapolis, IN

Description Prevent Child Abuse Indiana, a Division of The Villages presents “Breaking the Cycle” 2010 Mini Conference on Tuesday March 30, 2010 at the Sheraton Hotel Downtown Indianapolis. Registration will soon be available at our website (www.pcain.org) with complete workshop details. Do not RSVP on Facebook — please register for workshops at our website.