BC Institute Against Family Violence Media Releases
Dedicated to the Elimination of Family Violence Through Research and Information
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BCIFV home > Media Releases > December 5, 2000


BC Institute Against Family Violence
For Immediate Release
Contact: Penny Bain
December 5, 2000
Phone: (604) 669-7055 or www.bcifv.org

Story Tip:
The time has come to see bullying as the serious problem it is.

  • Recent events illustrate what the BC Institute Against Family Violence has been saying for years: bullying is not just a rite of passage but a serious problem with devastating consequences.
  • The majority of victims are neither murdered nor driven to suicide, but experience long-term consequences such as disabling depression throughout adult life, related difficulties in employment and relationships, and associated health-care and social-service costs.

  • But bullies often experience lifelong consequences, too. Bullies often follow a behavioural trajectory that begins in the schoolyard, progresses into adolescent crime and dating violence, and moves further into workplace harassment and family violence, with all the health-care and social-service costs associated with these problems.
  • Bullies are often children who have been victimized and have found a way to switch sides. The mini-cultures of their school environments reflect the power-and-status obsession of our society. Thus, any verbal condemnation they hear is easily outweighed by the more tangible rewards they experience as a result of their bullying.
  • Victims share as many behaviour traits as bullies. This suggests that, as soon as parents learn that their children are being targeted, they should seek professional help to understand what they and their children can do to regain control of their lives.
  • The litigious approach being taken by some victims may raise awareness of the problem by creating headlines. But it cannot replace a comprehensive strategy including treatment for aggressive children, counselling for victims, training for educators, help for parents, and public information to cement support for such programs.

For more information or suggestions regarding local contacts, please contact the BCIFV, at (604) 669-7055 or www.bcifv.org.