Why does the bully act like that?
Bullying behaviour is not restricted to girls or boys, although the type of bullying behaviour chosen may be more common among one gender or the other. Boys are more likely to use physical violence, while girls may be more likely to choose “gossip” as their weapons.
Children may bully for a variety of reasons, including:
- They feel powerful when bullying
- They feel it increases their acceptance by others – their “cool quotient”
- They have learned from examples in their own lives that bullying behaviour is acceptable and achieves results
- They don’t know and haven’t been shown other ways to express anxiety, fear or envy
- They feel uncomfortable relating to others on an “equal” basis
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