OBAMAS on BULLYING by Dr Helen Bright

Today President Obama and his wife Michelle, both lawyers, are in charge of the conference on bullying prevention in USA schools. This is really, an important initiative or great value.

It is known that bullying is a big problem affecting millions of children with bad effects that can carry on into adulthood. It is not just a US problem!
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As an adult one can be bullied by those who suffered bullying in their childhoods. From my personal experience, one of the reasons why this displacement of aggression and anger is not recognized by authorities is sexual prejudice against men who are perceived as stronger than women and therefore, not seen often enough as emotionally needy or victims of bullying. Both as children and adults they are less likely to receive social support and help such as counseling or medication for emotional problems. Thus, problems become entrenched and when victim turns into a bully more people are affected.

Even professionals such as doctors or nurses working in psychiatry can take their anger with origins in childhood experience of victimization out on their colleagues in full view of the public, or tribunal and nobody is attentive enough to see it for what it is.

Human beings are fond of fantasy life and it includes many beliefs resulting in attitudinal problems such leaning on men to do it all (frequent depiction in patriarchal religions). Courts and police have a lot of catching up to do as there is still poor treatment of the victims: one the obvious one, the other less so.

There are situations when it is impossible for some children and adults to avoid areas of vulnerability: physical, social or psychological. A boy who has the appearance of being stronger (taller and more muscular) than other children in his class year but has, for example, a hearing problem can become a target of merciless bullying by school children. Later on, as an adult he may repeatedly experience victimization at home and work due to poor choices and fear of standing up for himself. Both learned behaviors. He may bully in less obvious ways such as nit picking on a vulnerable colleague.

The economic consequences of bullying on the state agencies who become involved ( police, courts, health provision) are much larger than one can imagine.

Read here how cruelty springs from weakness and characteristics of bully, including corporate bully and social psychopath.