Bullying Bystanders

Bullies like an audience, and bullying is often a public interaction in which there are perceived winners and losers. While some victims are targeted because of a perceived vulnerability or difference, it is also the case that anyone can become a victim of bullying. As such, students intuitively weigh their own chances of becoming victims and maneuver to avoid it. They find relative safety in the bystander position. A recent study found that peers were present in 85% of bullying episodes, but intervened in only 10%. Therefore, mobilizing bystander reaction is an important approach to preventing bullying. This article concludes with a number of recommendations for mobilizing peers to prevent bullying