What is bullying?
Any repeated direct or indirect behavior, comment, act or gesture, whether deliberate or not, including in cyberspace, which occurs in a context where there is a power imbalance between the persons concerned, and which causes distress and injures, hurts, oppresses, intimidates or ostracizes.
What is violence?
Any intentional demonstration of verbal, written, physical or sexual force, which causes distress and injures, hurts, or oppresses a person by attacking their psychological or physical integrity or well-being, or their rights or property.
See Greater Gatineau’s full Anti-Bullying & Anti-Violence Plan
More on Bullying
Bullying is when someone repeatedly and on purpose says or does mean or hurtful things to another person who has a hard time defending themself. Bullying can take many forms, such as hitting, verbal harassment, spreading false rumors, not letting someone be part of the group, and sending nasty messages on a cell phone or over the Internet.
What Can I Do If I Think My Child Is Being Bullied?
- Share your concerns with your child’s teacher.
- Talk with your child.
- Try to find out more about your child’s school life
What Else Can I Do If My Child Is Being Bullied?
- Focus on your child.
- Talk to your child’s teacher or principal.
- Encourage your child to spend time with friendly students in his or her class.
- Help your child meet new friends outside of school.
- Teach your child safety strategies, such as how to seek help from an adult.
- Make sure your home is a safe and loving place for your child.
- Don’t blame your child for the bullying. No matter what your child does, they do not deserve to be bullied.
- Do not tell your child to fight back. This is not likely to end the problem and could make it worse by getting your child in trouble at school.
What Can I Do If My Child Is Bullying Others?
- Make it clear to your child that you take bullying seriously and that bullying is not okay.
- Develop clear rules for your child’s behavior
- Spend lots of time with your child
All Students Will Follow These Four Anti-Bullying Rules:
- We Help
- We Include
- We Tell
- Don’t Bully