# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We recently asked our community to share ideas for anti-bullying programs and we were blown away by the response. One thing is for sure: Stomping out bullying is clearly a priority for parent groups. As a thanks for all the great ideas, we're giving away 10 copies of the new anti-bullying book from Random House, Marlene, Marlene, Queen of Mean, by actress Jane Lynch. It wasn't easy to select just 10 favorites-there were so many wonderful ideas! But here is our list, and if you'd like to see dozens more ideas, check out the antibullying thread on our Facebook page. Thanks again to everyone who contributed!

Playground peacemakers: Ask older students at your elementary school to casually patrol the playground while younger students are at recess. Encourage them to reach out to students who may be playing alone or to let teachers know about a student who seems to be struggling. With guidance, older students can help younger students resolve simple disputes. -Christina Gaudenzi Cistaro

Tree notes: If your school has a large tree near its entrance, adorn it with anti-bullying messages. If the notes are abundant, it will become a conversation piece and keep students talking about anti-bullying. -Yaritza A. Cortes

Superheroes: Use a theme for an anti-bullying program. For example, the Pillager PTO ran a campaign called Superhero: Stop Bullying that included a poster and essay contest. Each participant received a button with the Superhero: Stop Bullying slogan. Essays and posters were displayed at school to promote awareness and photos of prizewinning entries were published in the local newspaper. -Misty Cremers

Build strength and confidence: Create a program focused on fitness and athletics, two areas where kids are often bullied. A fun-in-fitness program can bring together kids who are bullied to work with students who can mentor. Together, the kids work on basic skills and teamwork. Not only does it send a message about healthy habits, but it can also boost confidence and self-worth. -Jennifer Russo Crawford

Message in a locker: Work with middle school students to write positive and inspirational notes to classmates. Students then slip notes into lockers without being seen. Classmates later find a surprise note that boosts their spirits. It's the act of writing the note as much as receiving one that improves students' attitude toward others. -Jenny Jaydena Duncan

Lunch friends: Try to mix things up at lunch. Select a group of students, such as the National Honor Society members, to sit with different groups of younger students on a regular basis. Students will get to know other students who they wouldn't typically meet. -Tina Cooper

Random notes: Create a Random Acts of Kindness board. Start off with a bulletin board with a plain black background. Explain to students the idea behind random acts of kindness. Provide colorful sticky notes to teachers and ask them to write down a note about an act of kindness they observe. Soon, the plain, black bulletin board will be a rainbow of colors and each note will provide an idea for another act of kindness. -Francesca Corona

Buddy club: Set up a buddy club made up of a handful of reliable students who can reach out to students who may be new to the school or may be having trouble making friends. -Mandy Sargeon

Daily reminde r: Ask children to participate in the morning announcements at school so they can share a daily message about anti-bullying. One option is to repeat a motto each day, such as "Treat people the way you want to be treated and make it a great day!" -Shuyue Velasquez

Kind words all year long: Start by having each student pull a name of a classmate from a hat. Each student keeps an eye on their new "friend.'' At the end of the week, students compose a note with compliments or nice thoughts and deliver it to their friend. The process is repeated throughout the school year and at year's end, each student has a ring of index cards full of inspirational notes. -Amy Fioretti Harvey

The best PTO advice, ideas, and inspiration delivered weekly. Don't miss it!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 Simple Anti-Bullying Programs To Try at Your School - PTO Today

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We recently asked our community to share ideas for anti-bullying programs and we were blown away by the response. One thing is for sure: Stomping out bullying is clearly a priority for parent groups. As a thanks for all the great ideas, we're giving away 10 copies of the new anti-bullying book from Random House, Marlene, Marlene, Queen of Mean, by actress Jane Lynch.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Be The Change NZ campaign video 'Be The Hero - help STOP bullying' #upstand video

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Studies show bullying is reduced by over 50% on campuses where students begin anti-bullying clubs. Find out how you can start a C2BK chapter at your school.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Ministry of Education is launching its National Bullying Prevention Week campaign, running from 22 to 28 April 2018, to raise awareness on bullying across the UAE in collaboration with the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood and in partnership with more than 20 local and federal entities. The campaign has been organized under the patronage of H.H Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation and President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood and UAE Ministers.

Throughout the week, trained educators and consultants will visit public and private schools and shed light on various bullying matters such as what is bullying, its different forms, what is cyber bullying, what are the characteristics of a bully, the impact of bullying on children and how it could negatively impact their lives and mental health and why do bully's behave the way they do. During these visits the students will be advised on how to act or respond if they encounter a bully or witness anyone being bullied at school, home or anywhere.

The Minister of Education, HE Eng. Hussein Al-Hammadi, stated that having the campaign under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, is giving the Ministry and its partners the motivation to unite in efforts to support children and implement the best programs and initiatives to ensure their well-being. He also pointed out that Her Highnesses efforts in promoting the viability of life and protection of children is very influential in its sustainability.

HE Al Hammadi added that bullying shouldn't be excluded or ignored as its sensitive topic that directly affects a student's surrounding and could create a gap between him/her and the school community if it is not handled in a methodical manner or the root cause investigated and treated. The Ministry is keen on collecting data related to bullying to get a clear idea on its prevalence in our schools and be able to provide decision makers in the educational sector with reliable information on this matter to support their decisions. The National Bullying Prevention Week activities promote educational concepts that have a significant impact in our community and highlight our common values and the societal and institutional efforts to eliminate bullying.

He highlighted that the phenomenon of bullying and its various forms threaten the safety of schools, hinder developing a stimulating learning environment and lead to behavioural problems that prevent student's development. He stated that bullying should be identified as a critical concern amongst school administrations since protecting children and ensuring we provide them with a safe, positive and happy environment is an important pillar and goal within the UAE Agenda, particularly the issuance of Wadeema's Law. The Ministry is keen to keep pace with the causes of this phenomenon and address them by any means necessary. He concluded by emphasizing the role of schools in understand the issue and countering its negative effects.

Commenting on the initiative, Minister of State for General Education, H.E. Jameela Salem Al Muhairi said: "In light of this campaign we are determined to educate our students and to raise the awareness of the public on bullying and its harmful effects. Multiple research studies have found that the short term and long-term effects of bullying on those involved, on the education system and or the wider society are far more profound and lasting than previously believed. Bullying negatively affects students' educational performance and their emotional and mental growth. For example, repeated name-calling, teasing and physical assault are often causes for increased absenteeism among those students who feel vulnerable, insecure and alienated. According to the latest World Health Organization report a substantial number of our school children develop a growing sense that school is not a safe place to be. Ultimately, these feelings contribute to a school climate where learning is disrupted, and teaching time is wasted on classroom management, while, in a respectful, positive and peaceful work environment both teacher and student performance flourish. Morale greatly improves when educators are able to focus more on teaching and less on discipline at school. An overall school culture of respect creates a more welcoming environment for families and can contribute to greater parental involvement."

HE added, "Beyond school, the corporate world increasingly identifies interpersonal skills as one of the most important contributors to workplace success. Corporations recognize the need to prepare students to live and work successfully in our pluralistic, peaceful nation and global community and invest resource into workplace readiness."

"An emerging form of bullying such as cyber bullying has been at the centre of our attention. The ease of accessibility to the internet has made our children prone to being bullied anywhere and at any time, hence why it's important for children and teens to comprehend its complications and harm."

HE concluded by saying "With our wise leaderships guidance, the UAE is set to flourish and become one of the happiest countries in the world. Happiness, positivity, tolerance and compassion are values we believe in and want to instill in youth to ensure everyone lives in harmony. Living by these values will help us eliminate behaviours such as bullying that affects the academic performance as well as mental and physical wellbeing of children. The Ministry of Education is committed to providing students with a safe and nurturing environment that allows them to accept each other's individuality and embrace differences and have them be part of the drive towards the UAE's economic development."

H.E. Dr Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi , minister of State for Higher Education and Advanced Sills, stressed that the National Bullying Prevention Week is an opportunity to shed light on this phenomenon and educate the society. The objective of this week can be achieved mainly through sharing roles between the schools and parents as well as ensuring continuous communication amongst the different stakeholders of education in order to correct any misbehavior and attend to its impact on the school community.

Dr Al Falasi confirmed that negativity and distortion free stable education environment is what we look for and aspire for our students. No good education can be guaranteed in an atmosphere of apprehension and repercussions generated by bulling when students are victims of such physical or verbal abuse.

H. E. Highlighted that the impact of bulling can be carried on to university level leading victims to drop out or be isolated or become bullies themselves.

HE Rym Abdullah Al Falasy, Secretary General of the Supreme Council for Motherhood & Childhood, affirmed the council's concern towards students' wellbeing and added that H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak is keen to provide students with leading opportunities. Hence, HH has instructed to organize these special programs for students and improve their intellect and life principles. HE Al Falasy added that the Supreme Council for Motherhood & Childhood selected school students to develop an anti-bullying program in cooperation with Ministry of Education, where the program was implemented at more than 60 schools including school principals, academic mentors and school nurses.

Minister of State for Happiness and Wellbeing HE Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi reiterated the important role the National Bullying Prevention Committee plays in promoting a positive culture and instilling moral values that will reduce bullying behaviour and its psychological impact in UAE schools. HE Al Roumi emphasized that the psychological health our students is a priority and critical in developing our future generation. She stated that Mental health is as important as the prevention of physical diseases, and that it requires proactive actions that determine the root cause to why a student might bully his colleagues.

Due to the critical role parents, educators, family members, adults and the community play in fighting bullying, it's key to let them know that each individual that witnesses or is aware of a bullying incident has a social responsibility to speak up, intervene, show solidarity with the victim or even report to concerned authorities if necessary. It's imperative for the community to know how to identify if someone is being bullied, what they do and how they should intervene to break the cycle of bullying and provide support and care to the victims and ensure a bullying free environment. During the campaign, the Ministry along with its partners will convey all of the above to the community as well as demonstrate effective interventions that have proven to be successful in preventing or resolving bullying.

As part of the campaigns activities, the Ministry is organizing walkathons in public destinations in efforts of combating this social phenomenon. Hundreds of students and teachers are set to be part of these walkathons. The Ministry is also hosting a youth circle session for cycle 3 students in collaboration with Minister of state for Youth to discuss bullying and come up with solutions related to the topic.

Throughout the seven days of the National Bullying Prevention Week the Ministry of Education's partners; Ministry of State for Happiness, Sharjah Social Services Department, Ministry of Community Development, Dubai Foundation For Women & Children, Sharjah Education Council, Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, Ministry of Health and Prevention, United Arab Emirates University, Department of Education and Knowledge Abu Dhabi, Dubai Health Authority (DHA), Emirates Youth Council, Supreme Council of Family Affairs, Dubai Police, Abu Dhabi Media and Dubai Media Incorporated will be organizing either educational activities, lectures, interactive sessions or workshops.

According to a recent report released by UNESCO, it is estimated that every year, 246 million children and adolescents experience some forms of violence in school and are bullied. The Ministry of Education hasn't overlooked these facts and since 2013 has been facilitating workshops and trainings to combat bullying using internationally acclaimed best practices and interventions. Between the year 2013 and 2017, the Ministry had trained 696 counsellors, teachers and principals from schools, meanwhile in April 2018 a specialized workshop was organized it trained 713, of which 363 are counsellors and 350 principles.

Months ahead of launching this campaign, the Ministry held a brainstorming session that saw the participation of 10 federal and local entities that are devoted to the cause and ensuring children have a safe environment. The session was also attended by students, parents, principles and educators (57 in total) to come up with recommendations. The Ministry then had a set of meetings and assigned the National Bullying Prevention Council which currently consists of 27 members.

Last year the Ministry of Education was part of the anti-bullying program which was executed by The Supreme Council for Motherhood & Childhood and rolled out in collaboration with Education and Knowledge Abu Dhabi and UNICEF in 64 schools. After assessing 13 successful international programs, this specific program was designed for the UAE and is the first of its kind program in the Arab world.

​

4/22/2018

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
وزارة التربية والتعليم

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
تعليم الامارات

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Ministry of Education to Launch National Bullying Prevention Week in collaboration with the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Ministry of Education is launching its National Bullying Prevention Week campaign, running from 22 to 28 April 2018, to raise awareness on bullying across the UAE in collaboration with the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood and in partnership with more than 20 local and federal entities.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Dubai: School campuses in Dubai have trained pairs of eyes and ears among the students, who actively patrol the campuses and report incidents of any violations, bullying or abuse.

Part of an initiative to improve the levels of safety in the campuses and classrooms, Dubai Police have launched a 'Safety Ambassadors' programme that has seen training of 72 students drawn from government and private schools to report any illegal activity.

According to Dubai Police, since the launch of the programme in 2016, the safety ambassadors have reported 42 cases of violence, negligence, abuse and bullying.

Safety ambassadors

Lt. Col Saeed Rashid Al Heli, director of Child and Women Protection Department in Dubai Police, said they have 72 students who work as safety ambassadors in government and private schools in Dubai to alert the authorities about any violations.

He did not elaborate on what action was taken in those 42 cases.

"The programme aims to support children and protect them against any harm and violence. The ambassadors educate fellow students about their rights and what to do if they face violence, negligence and abuse," Lt Col Al Heli said.

Through the programme, students aged between six and 16 years are trained by Dubai Police to become the Safety Ambassadors. Once they qualify, the ambassadors get badges to wear on their arms that identify them as 'Safety Ambassadors.'

Patrolling the schools, the Safety Ambassadors report any violations to the schools' management, besides educating fellow students on steps to prevent violence, abuse and exploitation.

"If an incident is major then the school refers it to Dubai Police to take necessary action. Out of 42 incidents since 2016 and seven incidents were referred to us to find a solution. These incidents included negligence from parents and harming their children," added Lt Col Al Heli.

In the event of physical assaults, police will register a case and refer the parents or any other perpetrator to the court or get a written undertaking from the parents on not repeating the violation.

Added protection to children

"The students for the programme were chosen by the schools and they were qualified, with the right skills to understand the problem. They are also in a position to educate other students about their rights. Our main aim is to stop the violence against children," said Lt Col Al Heli.

Meanwhile, Brigadier Dr Mohammad Al Murr, director of the Human Rights Department of Dubai Police, praised the role of the programme that has helped in providing added protection to the children.

"Dubai Police is keen to protect children as they are the future of the country. We should protect them from violence, negligence and abuse to build their characters," said Brigadier Al Murr.

Smart app

Dubai Police will soon launch a smart phone applications on App Store and Play Store that will help raise awareness among children about their rights and inform them about what to do and whom to contact for help.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
School bullies beware: You're being watched in Dubai

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Dubai: School campuses in Dubai have trained pairs of eyes and ears among the students, who actively patrol the campuses and report incidents of any violations, bullying or abuse. Part of an initiative to improve the levels of safety in the campuses and classrooms, Dubai Police have launched a 'Safety Ambassadors' programme that has seen training of 72 students drawn from government and private schools to report any illegal activity.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
How parents can help their children?

The vast world of Internet has made it possible for all of us to stay connected through social media. We all make friends online, chat online and send messages or emails. But, at times certain messages or comments embarrass us and we fall prey to the so called 'cyber bullying'.

It is the most common way to target and make fun of people as the person can express his/her hatred, disliking or negative feelings without even meeting the target.

Lakshmi Sree, a 23-year-old media management professional, became quite and submissive after experiencing a couple of incidents where she got some comments on social media on her looks. She was stressed, felt intruded and insecure because of the awful messages.

"There have been times that I have lost my sleep thinking about these bullies. I couldn't focus on my work for months and even lost interest in the things which I loved the most like hanging out with friends and going for a movie. Social media has been very hurtful and confusing", thinks Lakshmi.

According to a study by Kasperky Lab and B2B International conducted in the UAE, 50 per cent of parents believe that the threat from cyber bullying to inappropriate content encountered by their children online are significantly increasing. The study highlights that 24 per cent of parents do nothing to protect their children from Internet threats, despite the fact that a staggering 42 per cent of them have seen their children encounter actual threats online. Also, this is not restricted to the students or teenagers. In fact anyone can become the victim of cyber bullying.

In another incident, a South Asian/Canadian woman, raised in Dubai, have been through similar experiences in her life. She is a young businesswoman and was bullied by a client recently.

"Some clients who have truly embodied the concept of 'the client is always right' will use it against you and can turn your interactions to very closely resemble bullying", said the woman who wanted to remain anonymous.

She continued: "I became friends and shared an informal relationship with many customers through social media. It came as a shock for me when one customer complained that he don't like the attention I am giving to another customer. He bombarded my email and chat with very wrong messages. I tried to manage the situation but then realised he was crossing all his limits to bully me online. It was coming on my performance and health, my days were turned into nightmares and I failed to handle the difficult situation."
What is Cyber Bullying?
It's a worldwide problem and one that is growing rapidly. It can happen in a variety of ways. Below are some ways of cyber bullying:

· Cyberstalking: This can extend to making real threats to the victim's physical wellbeing and/or safety.

· Trolling: This is a deliberate act of provoking a response through the use of insults or bad language.

· Dissing: This is an act of sending or posting cruel information online about your child, to damage their reputation or friendships.

· Outing: This is an act to publicly humiliate the victim or a group online by posting sensitive or embarrassing information.

· Catfishing: This is when another person steals the victim's online identity, usually photos, and re-creates social networking profiles for deceptive purposes

Each of the above cyberbullying acts need to be dealt with differently. Therefore, it's important to be able recognise them.
Punishment for cyber bullying
"When bullying crosses the line from aggravation to criminal harassment or threats, it becomes a crime. According to UAE's Cybercrime Law No. 5 of 2012, cybercriminals could face punishments up to a life sentence and/or a fine varying between Dh50,000 and Dh3 million depending the severity and seriousness of the cybercrime," noted Ghareeb Saad, senior security researcher, Kaspersky Lab.
ankita@khaleejtimes.com How parents can help their children?
> Technology has made it easier than ever before for bullies to attack the vulnerable. Moreover, the culture of widespread over-sharing on social networks has unwittingly added fuel to the fire.

> Talk to your children about the potential dangers.

> Set clear ground rules about what they can and can't do online.

> Protect the computer using Internet security software.

> Most smartphones have parental controls and security software providers may offer apps to filter out inappropriate content.

> Most importantly, encourage children to be open and talk to a trusted adult, if they receive any threatening or inappropriate messages online.

> It's a good idea to limit the number of personal photos and information online. Make sure children know to always keep passwords secure and change them regularly.

> Parents need to understand the scope of cyberbullying, which is expanding day in and day out. Many adults believe social media sites are the likely stages for the bullying behaviours. However, with smartphones, there's a greater scope of potential harm

ERROR: Macro /ads/dfp-ad-article-new is missing!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
How parents can help their children? The vast world of Internet has made it possible for all of us to stay connected through social media. We all make friends online, chat online and send messages or emails. But, at times certain messages or comments embarrass us and we fall prey to the so called 'cyber bullying'.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
It would be impossible to ignore the growing presence of technology and devices in the lives of children in the region; indeed even some schools now require them for children from seven or eight years onwards.

However, there are also concerns emerging from parents and teachers that this technology can be used for harm as much as it can be used for positive educational purposes. It is becoming increasingly important for schools to educate students about the legal and appropriate use of the internet and to have policies which are clearly communicated to both staff and students. If pupils are engaging in cyberbullying activities, there could be consequences under a school's disciplinary and code of conduct procedures. If a school is aware of these types of activities, but does not take action, there could be reputational, regulatory, and potentially even legal implications for that school. Under the new Dubai Schools Law (Executive Council Resolution No. 2 of 2017) schools have an obligation to have in place a 'student safety and protection policy' approved by Dubai's Knowledge and Human Development Authority and must take all necessary measures to care for and protect their students' rights.

There are two ways in which technology may become a medium for abuse rather than education. Firstly; when children themselves are targeted in a way that they may not properly understand. The second is when children abuse technology to take advantage of, or persecute, others in their peer groups. In this article the authors focus on issues arising from the second category. Attention is given to potential legal ramifications for young people and children who misuse online resources and, in particular, social media.

Underage Access to Social Media

An important consideration is a child's minimum age before he or she is granted social media access. Firstly, it is important to note that there are no laws specifically governing minimum age requirements. There are certain guidelines and regulations that may apply to content (most visibly in relation to the censorship of films, television, and to a lesser extent magazines). Some of these guidelines also extend to online content. In this regard, telecommunications carriers have the right to block content they consider breaches Annex 1 of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority's Internet Access Management Policy, for instance; 'internet content containing pornography and nudity' and 'gambling internet content.' These regulations, however, do not provide minimum age requirements for generic social media sites.

To fill this vacuum, which exists in most countries that permit access to global social media, pressure has been applied to the operators of social media sites to place age restrictions on users. Facebook, for example, requires all account holders to be at least thirteen years old before they can create an account. Not only is it not permitted to create an account if you are underage, but it is also not permitted to create an account for another person that is underage. Parents can request deletion of accounts that have been created in beach of this rule. More importantly, Facebook provides a form that allows third parties to report accounts that are held by underage users, which are then immediately deleted.

What Role Do Facebook Restrictions Play?

Platforms such as Facebook have reacted to parental concerns about access to unrestricted content - they have implemented bespoke rules designed to provide a sense of security to their users. However, these are not legal restrictions, and so breaching these rules does not carry any legal consequences. Should a child breach the minimum age restrictions for any social media site and then accesses adult content, there is little that can be done about it from a legal perspective.

Interestingly, in the United Kingdom the National Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Children has requested that there be a statutory code of practice to ensure children are adequately protected online. If the UK does take this to the next step, we can expect other countries to follow suit. This may mean that, in the future, there will be legal repercussions for online publishers who do not properly control or prohibit access to inappropriate content by children.

What is Cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying occurs when technology is used to convey the bullying message to the victim and to those around the victim. Mobile phones are the preferred medium for these acts, and the proliferation of apps such as WhatsApp as well as app based social media platforms make it increasingly easy to spread negative messages much further than was possible before. In addition, secondary perpetrators can readily forward and share the negative material, resulting in its rapid and widespread dissemination. The message may be viewed multiple times by a larger and more diverse audience - it could be sent to the victim's siblings, teachers, neighbours, and broader social groups.

Insights from the Child Rights Law in the UAE

The UAE's Child Rights Law (Federal Law No. 3 of 2016) affirms that all children have the right to education and basic protection in the UAE. Bullying has always been difficult to punish. It is suggested that the increased use of technology may aid bullying. Equally, such technology may assist with tracing its source.

Cybercrime Law and Penalties

Defamation, which is often at the core of cyberbullying, is potentially a criminal offence in the UAE. Not only does the UAE have extensive provisions within its Penal Code (Federal Law No. 3 of 1987), but it also has the benefit of the Cyber Crimes Law (Federal Decree No. 5 of 2012 on Cyber Crimes). For example, Article 138 of the Penal Code stipulates that a punishment of jail and a fine (determined at the discretion of the judge) " shall be inflicted on any person who publishes through any means of publicity news, pictures or comments pertaining to the secrets of people's private or familial lives even if the same is true. " The UAE has traditionally considered defamation to be a serious criminal offence.

As is often the case, it is the Cyber Crimes Law that provides the most practical recourse for victims of crimes involving technology. Article 20, for example, deals with slander in the broadest of terms:

Without prejudice to the provisions of slander crime prescribed in Islamic Sharia, any person who insults a third party or has attributed to him an incident that may make him subject to punishment or contempt by a third party by using an Information Network or an Information Technology Tool shall be punished by imprisonment and a fine not less than (AED 250,000) and not exceeding (AED 500,000) or by any of these punishments.

Note that the prescribed fine is a minimum of AED 250,000. Imprisonment is also possible, although a minimum sentence is not prescribed. For some offences the Juvenile Law (Federal Law No. 9 of 1976) specifically dictates that children under the age of eighteen may be sentenced to no more than half of the prescribed detention period.

Article 16 of the Cyber Crimes Law states that a perpetrator of an action that could be considered to be extortion ' shall be punished by imprisonment for a period of two years at most and a fine not less than AED 250,000 and not in excess of AED 500,000, or either of these two penalties '. Accordingly, threatening to bully someone unless money is received may lead to severe penalties - the act of bullying does not have to eventuate, it can simply be threatened. If the extortioner uses the threat of bullying (eg; "I'll tell everyone that you...") in order to extract money or something of value from the victim, they may be found guilty under this law.

Of course, the standards that are applied to defamation can be high - as is generally the case globally. The statement must, first and foremost, do harm to someone's reputation, and must do so in a manner that makes people consider that person in a negative light.

Additionally or alternatively, the parents of a victim may wish to consider civil action through court. This does present a more difficult case, requiring assessment of the damages arising from the offence, and should accordingly be discussed with a competent lawyer before proceeding.

Distributing and Sharing Pictures Without Consent

Cyberbullying can be, and often is, undertaken by using images of the victim in a way that is not authorised or otherwise without their consent. This could include images taken of the victim with consent at the time, but on the understanding of confidentiality. They may have, for example, been provided during the course of a relationship. Images may otherwise have been provided as a result of persistent bullying behaviour - eg; "if you don't give me photos, I will tell everyone that you...".

In the UAE, using images without consent can be a serious issue (which we have covered in previous Law Update articles). In this article we address common issues concerning the creation, retention, and/or circulation of pornographic images, as are commonly used in cyberbullying cases.

The Cyber Crimes Law prescribes harsh penalties for any use of material that is considered to be pornographic. Article 17 states;

Any person who established or operated or supervised an Electronic Site or transmitted, sent, published or re-published through the Information Network pornographic materials ... and anything that may prejudice public morals shall be punished by imprisonment and a fine not less than (AED 250.000) and not exceeding (AED 500.000) or by any of these punishments.

Any person, who produced, prepared, sent or saved pornographic materials ... and anything that may prejudice public morals for the purpose of exploitation, distribution or displaying for a third party through an Information Network shall be punished by the same punishment.

The Article penalises several actions relating to a qualifying image's utilisation - including its transmission and sending. In addition, the Cyber Crimes Law imposes further penalties if the pornographic material concerns subjects younger than eighteen years old - so the vast majority of school pupils, stating:

If the subject of the pornographic content was a juvenile not exceeding eighteen years of age or if this content was designed to tempt juveniles the perpetrator shall be punished by imprisonment for a period not less than one year and a fine not less than (AED 50,000) and not exceeding (AED 150,000).

This is followed by Article 18:

Any person who intentionally acquires Juvenile Pornographic Materials by using an Electronic Information System, Information Network, Electronic Site or any of the Information Technology Tool shall be punished by imprisonment for a period not less than six months and a fine not less than (AED 150,000) and not exceeding (AED 1,000,000).

Again, this covers situations where a person is seeking pornographic materials from anyone younger than eighteen. The fine is significant, as is the minimum jail term.

In addition, Article 16 of the Cyber Crimes Law (above) may also apply. If, for example, a teenager threatened to bully or defame a fellow student unless they provided a sexual image of themselves, then not only are they guilty of inciting contempt, receiving and distributing pornography, and child pornography, but they are also guilty of extortion. A court has discretion to apply all of the above penalties. As far as penalties are concerned, the Cyber Crimes Law also requires a judge to order the deportation of any perpetrator that is not a UAE national.

Reputation Management in the Online Environment

Undoubtedly it is imperative to take action against any person that is bullying another - and any adult that has to deal with a child that is being bullied has reason to wish it to stop as soon as possible. Unfortunately, the disadvantage of taking legal action is that the victim may be required to disclose aspects of their lives they may be ashamed of, or do not wish to make public. Under the Juvenile Law, court hearings in relation to children under eighteen will not be made public and may only be attended by certain persons (eg; lawyers, custodians, Ministry of Social Affairs) or with a court's permission. A court may even excuse a child's attendance during witness testimony if considered to be in the child's interests.

In all of the above, it is important to remember that, from a practical perspective, online publications often remain accessible for a long time, if not forever. Even when content is taken down from a site, or deleted from a particular device, it may be cached or may have been forwarded or saved to other devices. It may be dormant for some time and then re-surface, affecting the reputation of not only the victim, but inevitably the perpetrator and their cohorts. In teaching children, and young adults, about their use of social media, the importance of maintaining their reputation should be stressed at all times. A bullying post, a semi-naked photograph, a political rant - these can all come back to haunt them later. There is only one chance to emphasise this to all young people; it cannot be remedied later.
Al Tamimi & Company's Technology Media and Telecommunications team regularly advises on issues arising from media and content issues and on regulatory matters and disputes. For further information please contact Fiona Robertson (f.robertson@tamimi.com).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Cyberbullying Laws in UAE | Cyber Crime Law | Al Tamimi & Company

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
It would be impossible to ignore the growing presence of technology and devices in the lives of children in the region; indeed even some schools now require them for children from seven or eight years onwards.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Bullying Statistics - Anti-Bullying Help, Facts, and More.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
BullyingStatistics.org is part of the Teen Help family. Get info & facts on bullying. Prevent cyberbullying, workplace, school and child or teen bullying today.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A comprehensive overview of current bullying prevention research conducted by government and higher education agencies.

Rates of Incidence

One out of every five (20.2%) students report being bullied. (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2019 )

A higher percentage of male than of female students report being physically bullied (6% vs. 4%), whereas a higher percentage of female than of male students reported being the subjects of rumors (18% vs. 9%) and being excluded from activities on purpose (7% vs. 4%). (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2019)

41% of students who reported being bullied at school indicated that they think the bullying would happen again. (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2019 )

Of those students who reported being bullied, 13% were made fun of, called names, or insulted; 13% were the subject of rumors; 5% were pushed, shoved, tripped, or spit on; and 5% were excluded from activities on purpose. (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2019)

A slightly higher portion of female than of male students report being bullied at school (24% vs. 17%). (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2019)

Bullied students reported that bullying occurred in the following places: the hallway or stairwell at school (43%), inside the classroom (42%), in the cafeteria (27%), outside on school grounds (22%), online or by text (15%), in the bathroom or locker room (12%), and on the school bus (8%). (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2019)

46% of bullied students report notifying an adult at school about the incident. (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2019)

School-based bullying prevention programs decrease bullying by up to 25%. (McCallion & Feder, 2013)

The reasons for being bullied reported most often by students include physical appearance, race/ethnicity, gender, disability, religion, sexual orientation. (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2019)

The federal government began collecting data on school bullying in 2005, when the prevalence of bullying was around 28 percent. (U.S. Department of Education, 2015 )

Rates of bullying vary across studies (from 9% to 98%). A meta-analysis of 80 studies analyzing bullying involvement rates (for both bullying others and being bullied) for 12-18 year old students reported a mean prevalence rate of 35% for traditional bullying involvement and 15% for cyberbullying involvement. (Modecki, Minchin, Harbaugh, Guerra, & Runions, 2014 )

One in five (20.9%) tweens (9 to 12 years old) has been cyberbullied, cyberbullied others, or seen cyberbullying. (Patchin & Hinduja, 2020)

49.8% of tweens (9 to 12 years old) said they experienced bullying at school and 14.5% of tweens shared they experienced bullying online. (Patchin & Hinduja, 2020)

13% of tweens (9 to 12 years old) reported experiencing bullying at school and online, while only 1% reported being bullied solely online. (Patchin & Hinduja, 2020)

Effects of Bullying

Students who experience bullying are at increased risk for depression, anxiety, sleep difficulties, lower academic achievement, and dropping out of school. (Centers for Disease Control, 2019)

Students who are both targets of bullying and engage in bullying behavior are at greater risk for both mental health and behavior problems than students who only bully or are only bullied. (Centers for Disease Control, 2019)

Bullied students indicate that bullying has a negative effect on how they feel about themselves (27%), their relationships with friends and family (19%), their school work (19%), and physical health (14%). (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2019)

Students who experience bullying are twice as likely as non-bullied peers to experience negative health effects such as headaches and stomachaches. (Gini & Pozzoli, 2013 )

Youth who self-blame and conclude they deserved to be bullied are more likely to face negative outcomes, such as depression, prolonged victimization, and maladjustment. (Perren, Ettakal, & Ladd, 2013 )

Tweens who were cyberbullied shared that it negatively impacted their feelings about themselves (69.1%), their friendships (31.9%), their physical health (13.1%), and their schoolwork (6.5%). (Patchin & Hinduja, 2020).

Cyberbullying

Among students ages 12 - 18 who reported being bullied at school, 15% were bullied online or by text (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2019)

Reports of cyberbullying are highest among middle school students, followed by high school students, and then primary school students (Centers for Disease Control, 2019)

The percentages of individuals who have experienced cyberbullying at some point in their lifetimes have more than doubled (18% to 37%) from 2007-2019 (Patchin & Hinduia, 2019 )

When students were asked about the specific types of cyberbullying they had experienced, mean and hurtful comments (25%) and rumors spread online (22%) were the most commonly-cited (Patchin et al., 2019 )

The type of cyberbullying tends to differ by gender. Girls were more likely to say someone spread rumors about them online while boys were more likely to say that someone threatened to hurt them online (Patchin et al., 2019 )

Those who are cyberbullied are also likely to be bullied offline (Hamm, Newton, & Chisholm, 2015 )

Cyberbullying Among Tweens (9-12 Years Old)

One in five tweens (20.9%) has been cyberbullied, cyberbullied others, or seen cyberbullying

49.8% of tweens said they experienced bullying at school and 14.5% of tweens shared they experienced bullying online

13% of tweens reported experiencing bullying at school and online, while only 1% reported being bullied solely online

Nine out of ten tweens use social media or gaming apps (Patchin & Hinduja, 2020)

Tweens shared they were engaging on the following sites, apps, or games: YouTube, Minecraft, Roblox, Google Classroom, Fortnite, TikTok, YouTube Kids, Snapchat, Facebook Messenger Kids, Instagram, Discord, Facebook, and Twitch

Tweens who were cyberbullied shared that it negatively impacted their feelings about themselves (69.1%), their friendships (31.9%), their physical health (13.1%), and their schoolwork (6.5%)

Tweens reported using a variety of strategies to stop the bullying including blocking the person bullying them (60.2%), telling a parent (50.8%), ignoring the person (42.8%), reporting it to the website or app (29.8%), and taking a break from the device (29.6%)

Two-thirds of tweens are willing to step in to defend, support, or assist those being bullied at school and online when they see it

Barriers to helping when tweens witness bullying at school or online included being afraid of making things worse, not knowing what to do or say, not knowing how to report it online, being afraid others kids will make fun of them, being afraid to get hurt, and not knowing who to tell

SOURCE: Patchin, J.W., & Hinduja, S. (2020). Tween Cyberbullying in 2020. Cyberbullying Research Center and Cartoon Network. Retrieved from: https://i.cartoonnetwork.com/stop-bullying/pdfs/CN_Stop_Bullying_Cyber_Bullying_Report_9.30.20.pdf.

Bullying of Students with Disabilities

Students with specific learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, emotional and behavior disorders, other health impairments, and speech or language impairments report greater rates of victimization than their peers without disabilities longitudinally and their victimization remains consistent over time (Rose & Gage, 2016 )

When assessing specific types of disabilities, prevalence rates differ: 35.3% of students with behavioral and emotional disorders, 33.9% of students with autism, 24.3% of students with intellectual disabilities, 20.8% of students with health impairments, and 19% of students with specific learning disabilities face high levels of bullying victimization (Rose & Espelage, 2012 )

Researchers discovered that students with disabilities were more worried about school safety and being injured or harassed by other peers compared to students without a disability (Saylor & Leach, 2009 )

When reporting bullying youth in special education were told not to tattle almost twice as often as youth not in special education (Davis & Nixon, 2010)

Successful strategies to prevent bullying among students with disabilities include (Rose & Monda-Amaya, 2012):

Teachers and peers engaging in meaningful and appropriate social interactions

Creating opportunities to increase social competence and positive interactions

Schools adopting appropriate intervention strategies that encourage social awareness and provide individualized interventions for targets with disabilities

Bullying of Students of Color

23% of African-American students, 23% of Caucasian students, 16% of Hispanic students, and 7% of Asian students report being bullied at school (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2019)

More than one third of adolescents reporting bullying report bias-based school bullying (Russell, Sinclair, Poteat, & Koenig, 2012 )

Bias-based bullying is more strongly associated with compromised health than general bullying (Russell et al., 2012 )

Race-related bullying is significantly associated with negative emotional and physical health effects (Rosenthal et al, 2013 )

Bullying of Students Who Identify or Are Perceived as LGBTQ

70.1% of LGBTQ students were verbally bullied (e.g., called names, threatened) in the past year because of their sexual orientation and 59.1% because of their gender expression, and 53.2% based on gender (Kosciw, Greytak, Zongrone, Clark, & Truong, 2018)

28.9% of LGBTQ students were physically bullied (e.g., pushed, shoved) in the past year because of their sexual orientation and 24.4% because of their gender expression, and 22.8% based on gender (Kosciw et al., 2018)

48.7% of LGBTQ students experienced cyberbullying in the past year (Kosciw et al., 2018)

59.5% of LGBTQ students feel unsafe at school because of their sexual orientation, 44.6% because of their gender expression, and 35% because of their gender (Kosciw et al., 2018)

34.8% of LGBTQ students missed at least one entire day at school in the past month because they felt unsafe or uncomfortable, and 10.5% missed four or more days in the past month (Kosciw et al., 2018)

Of the LGBTQ students who reported they were considering dropping out of school, 42.2% indicated they were doing so because of the harassment they faced at school (Kosciw et al., 2018)

Compared to LGBTQ students with no supportive school staff, students with many (11 or more) supportive staff at school were less likely to miss school because they felt unsafe (20.1% to 48.8%) and felt greater belonging to their school community (Kosciw et al., 2018)

LGBTQ students experienced a safe, more positive school environment when their school had a bullying prevention / anti-harassment policy that specifically included protections on sexual orientation and gender identity / expression (Kosciw et al., 2018)

Peer victimization of all youth was less likely to occur in schools with bullying policies that are inclusive of LGBTQ students (Hatzenbuehler & Keyes, 2013 )

Bullying and Suicide

There is a strong association between bullying and suicide-related behaviors, but this relationship is often mediated by other factors, including depression, violent behavior, and substance abuse (Reed, Nugent, & Cooper, 2015)

Students who report frequently bullying others and students who report being frequently bullied are at increased risk for suicide-related behavior (Centers for Disease Control, 2014)

A meta-analysis found that students facing peer victimization are 2.2 times more likely to have suicide ideation and 2.6 times more likely to attempt suicide than students not facing victimization (Gini & Espelage, 2014 )

Students who are both bullied and engage in bullying behavior are the highest risk group for adverse outcomes (Espelage & Holt, 2013)

The false notion that suicide is a natural response to being bullied has the dangerous potential to normalize the response and thus create copycat behavior among youth (Centers for Disease Control, 2014).

Interventions

Bullied youth were most likely to report that actions that accessed support from others made a positive difference (Davis & Nixon, 2010)

Actions aimed at changing the behavior of the bullying youth (fighting, getting back at them, telling them to stop, etc.) were rated as more likely to make things worse (Davis & Nixon, 2010)

Students reported that the most helpful things teachers can do are: listen to the student, check in with them afterwards to see if the bullying stopped, and give the student advice (Davis & Nixon, 2010)

Students reported that the most harmful things teachers can do are: tell the student to solve the problem themselves, tell the student that the bullying wouldn't happen if they acted differently, ignored what was going on, or tell the student to stop tattling (Davis & Nixon, 2010)

As reported by students who have been bullied, the self-actions that had some of the most negative impacts (telling the person to stop/how I feel, walking away, pretending it doesn't bother me) are often used by youth and often recommended to youth (Davis & Nixon, 2010)

Tweens reported using a variety of strategies to stop the bullying including blocking the person bullying them (60.2%), telling a parent (50.8%), ignoring the person (42.8%), reporting it to the website or app (29.8%), and taking a break from the device (29.6%) (Patchin & Hinduja, 2020).

Bystanders

Students need not be the targets of bullying to experience negative outcomes. Observing bullying is associated with adverse mental health outcomes (Rivers, Poteat, Noret, & Ashurst, 2009 )

Bystanders' beliefs in their social self-efficacy were positively associated with defending behavior and negatively associated with passive behavior from bystanders - i.e. if students believe they can make a difference, they're more likely to act (Thornberg et al., 2012 )

Students who experience bullying report that allying and supportive actions from their peers (such as spending time with the student, talking to him/her, helping him/her get away, or giving advice) were the most helpful actions from bystanders (Davis & Nixon, 2010)

Students who experience bullying are more likely to find peer actions helpful than educator or self-actions (Davis & Nixon, 2010)

The Youth Voice Research Project (2010) found that victimized students reported the following bystander strategies that made things better: spent time with me (54%), talked to me (51%), helped me get away (49%), called me (47%), gave me advice (46%), helped me tell (44%), distracted me (43%), listened to me (41%), told an adult (35%), confronted them (29%), asked them to stop

Even students who have observed but not participated in bullying behavior report significantly more feelings of helplessness and less sense of connectedness and support from responsible adults than students who have not witnessed bullying behavior (Centers for Disease Control, 2014)

Two-thirds of tweens are willing to step in to defend, support, or assist those being bullied at school and online when they see it (Patchin & Hinduja, 2020).

Barriers to helping when tweens witness bullying at school or online included being afraid of making things worse, not knowing what to do or say, not knowing how to report it online, being afraid others kids will make fun of them, being afraid to get hurt, and not knowing who to tell (Patchin & Hinduja, 2020).

References:

Centers for Disease Control, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (2019). Preventing bullying. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/yv/bullying-factsheet508.pdf.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (2014). The Relationship Between Bullying and Suicide: What we Know and What it Means for Schools. Retrieved from https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/34163.

Davis, S., & Nixon, C. (2010). The youth voice research project: Victimization and strategies. Retrieved from: http://njbullying.org/documents/YVPMarch2010.pdf.

Hatzenbuehler, M. L., & Keyes, K. M. (2013). Inclusive anti-bullying policies and reduced risk of suicide attempts in lesbian and gay youth. Journal of Adolescent Health, 53, 21-26. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3696185/?tool=pmcentrez .

Kosciw, J. G., Greytak, E. A., Zongrone, A. D., Clark, C. M., & Truong, N. L. (2018). The 2017 National School Climate Survey: The experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer youth in our nation's schools. New York: GLSEN. Retrieved from https://www.glsen.org/sites/default/files/2019-10/GLSEN-2017-National-School-Climate-Survey-NSCS-Full-Report.pdf.

McCallion, G., & Feder, J. (2013). Student bullying: Overview of research, federal initiatives, and legal issues. Congressional Research Service. Retrieved from http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R43254.pdf.

Patchin, J.W., & Hinduja, S. (2020). Tween Cyberbullying in 2020. Cyberbullying Research Center and Cartoon Network. Retrieved from: https://i.cartoonnetwork.com/stop-bullying/pdfs/CN_Stop_Bullying_Cyber_Bullying_Report_9.30.20.pdf.

Rose, C. A., & Espelage, D. L. (2012). Risk and protective factors associated with the bullying involvement of students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Behavioral Disorders, 37, 133-148. Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ989490

Russell, S. T., Sinclair, K., Poteat, P., & Koenig, B. (2012). Adolescent health and harassment based on discriminatory bias. American Journal of Public Health, 102(3), 493-495. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22390513 .

Thornberg, T., Tenenbaum, L., Varjas, K., Meyers, J., Jungert, T., & Vanegas, G. (2012). Bystander motivation in bullying incidents: To intervene or not to intervene? Western Journal of Emergency Medicine, 8(3), 247-252. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3415829/ .

U.S. Department of Education, (2015). New data show a decline in school-based bullying. Retrieved from https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/new-data-show-decline-school-based-bullying .

Updated: November, 2020

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Almost one out of every four students (22%) report being bullied during the school year (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2015). Rates of bullying vary across studies (from 9% to 98%).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Young people who are bullied repeatedly throughout childhood and adolescence have a significantly higher risk of getting in trouble with the law in later life, according to a paper presented at the annual convention of the American Psychological Association.

The study, released on Thursday, surveyed 7,335 Americans born between 1980 and 1984. It found that 24 per cent of those who reported being "repeatedly" bullied before age 12 and from 12-18 had been arrested at least once as adults. Only 17 per cent of young people who said they were not bullied during those times ever found themselves in handcuffs. Of those who suffered long-term bullying, 18 per cent were eventually convicted of a crime, while for non-victims, the rate was 11 per cent.

Debra Pepler, a professor of psychology at York University and a leading Canadian researcher on bullying who is working on a similar study, said her research echoes the U.S. findings on victims of chronic bullying.

"I don't blame the victim in any way," Dr. Pepler said, "but these children are not learning to get along with others. They're not learning to solve problems and get help. We know that they are so frustrated and so distressed that they take to aggression to defend themselves and to gain status."

Children who feel permanently shut out may also be more easily lured into delinquent behaviour, Dr. Pepler added.

"Young people not embedded in a peer group may be more susceptible to peer pressure," she said. When it comes to looking cool or fitting in, "they'll do anything."

Past studies of victims of bullying looked at narrow periods of time, while previous research on the link between bullying and delinquency focused mainly on perpetrators, said Michael Turner, a criminologist at the University of North Carolina Charlotte and the author of the paper.

The study compared people who reported being bullied in both childhood and the teen years with those who never experienced bullying, as well as those who suffered during only one of the two developmental stages.

"The individuals who were chronically victimized had the highest incidence across all the measures, whether it's delinquency, substance abuse, arrests, conviction, incarceration. We found this relationship that had gone unnoticed for years," Dr. Turner said. "Victimization can have a long-term, cumulative effect on externalizing behaviours."

Young women who were bullied in their childhood and teens saw some of the worst legal outcomes as adults, particularly related to abusing drugs and alcohol, the study found.

The reasons for the gender imbalance are not entirely clear, Dr. Turner said.

According to Dr. Pepler, girls tend to forge close, trusting friendships that act as a "protective buffer" against bullies. Without that, adolescent girls who are socially excluded are more likely to self-medicate with alcohol and drugs and seek out less healthy relationships, Dr. Pepler said.

"We see girls getting into relationships with deviant older men, and entering into crime that way," she said.

Bullying tends to peak in the late elementary years from Grade 5 to Grade 7, Dr. Turner said, and that highlights the need for early intervention.

The study identified family doctors and other medical personnel as a "critical point of contact" for screening children and teens who may be afraid to speak up at school about bullying.

"Everyone who works with children and youth needs to be educated and trained about bullying," Dr. Pepler said. "It's one of our core human needs to feel like people care."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Being bullied can lead to troubles with the law later in life, study says

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Young people who are bullied repeatedly throughout childhood and adolescence have a significantly higher risk of getting in trouble with the law in later life, according to a paper presented at the annual convention of the American Psychological Association. The study, released on Thursday, surveyed 7,335 Americans born between 1980 and 1984.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Credit: Dreamstime

People who were bullied throughout childhood and adolescence are more likely than others to engage in delinquent or criminal behavior later in life, a new study finds.

In the new research, scientists found that about 14 percent of those who reported suffering repeated bullying through their childhood and teenage years - up to 18 years of age - wound up serving time in prison as adults. In comparison, 6 percent of people who did not experience bullying ended up in prison.

"Most studies focus on a relatively narrow period of the life course, but I looked at victimization from birth to age 18 and then associated that with legal outcomes - whether they got involved with substance abuse, got arrested, convicted or were sent to incarceration," said Michael Turner, an associate professor in the department of criminal justice and criminology at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. [ 10 Scientific Tips for Raising Happy Kids]

Turner is presenting the findings today (Aug. 1) at the American Psychological Association's 121st Annual Convention, which is being held from July 31 to Aug. 4 in Honolulu.

Bullying and crime

In his analysis, Turner found that compared with nonbullied individuals, victims of bullying had higher rates of criminal conviction. More than 20 percent of those who were bullied throughout childhood and adolescence were convicted of crimes, compared with 11 percent of nonvictims. Sixteen percent of individuals who experienced childhood bullying, up to age 12, were convicted of crimes, with 13 percent of victims who were bullied during adolescence (from age 12 to 18) experiencing similar legal outcomes later in life.

"Being victimized at any point in time was associated with higher odds of delinquency, substance abuse, arrests and convictions in late adolescence and adulthood," Turner told LiveScience. "But chronic victims - those who were bullied in childhood and adolescence - had the highest odds of adverse legal outcomes."

Previous studies have found relationships between young people who bully others and delinquent behavior later in life, but Turner's study shows that victims of bullying can also be negatively affected in the long run.

"Most studies found bullying and offenders are associated with higher crime," Turner said. "I found support that being a victim is also associated with adverse legal outcomes. Most research hasn't found this relationship."

Growing pains

For the study, Turner relied on data from the 1997 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor and the Bureau of Justice Statistics. The survey included 7,335 people reflective of U.S. demographics, who were ages 12 to 16 as of Dec. 31, 1996.

Turner separated the individuals into four groups: nonvictims (74 percent of survey respondents); those who suffered bullying before age 12 (15 percent); those who were bullied after age 12 (6 percent); and those who experienced bullying during childhood and adolescence (5 percent).

The youths were followed over a 14-year period, and victimization reports were collected over several periods. Criminal incidents were assessed when the survey participants were in their late teenage years or early adulthood.

The study did not account for severity of bullying and did not focus on the socioeconomic status of the respondents.

Through his analysis, however, Turner did identify some gender differences. "Majority of the significant gender differences tended to sway in favor of females being more adversely affected than males," Turner said. He found no significant differences across races and ethnicities.

What to do?

The results suggest bullying is particularly detrimental early in development.

"There are certainly prevention programs out there, for schools and parents, and if you don't deal with these problems early, they could turn into bigger problems," Turner said. "Early prevention is always a better outlook."

And despite relying on data that had been collected in the mid-'90s, Turner does not anticipate major differences had the survey been conducted among youth today.

"The method by which individuals are bullied now is quite a bit different than what existed then," Turner said. "Specifically, there's a lot more technology-based cyberbullying. The method is a little different, but it's still verbal, physical, emotional or psychological."

Turner plans to submit the research for peer review, prior to publication, at the end of this year's American Psychological Association meeting.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Bullied Kids More Likely to Commit Crimes As Adults

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
People who were bullied throughout childhood and adolescence are more likely than others to engage in delinquent or criminal behavior later in life, a new study finds. In the new research, scientists found that about 14 percent of those who reported suffering repeated bullying through their childhood and teenage years - up to 18 years of age - wound up serving time in prison as adults.