Gender & Social Class Issues

Is There a Gender Difference?

Early research on bullying tended to focus on the more overt physical bullying by boy aggressors and their direct, physically aggressive behaviours.

Boys bully more than girls. The EPS (2003) survey found that in Primary school 68% of bullies were boys and 32% were girls. Boys tend to bully both boys and girls whilst girls largely focus their attention on other girls. Bullying will generally be by individual boys or a group of boys. Verbal bullying is common amongst both boys and girls. Boys are more likely to make physical attacks be it on girls or boys.

Young women bear the brunt of sexual bullying and harassment. In a recent study four out of five young women reported having experienced at least one kind of harassment (Regan & Kelly 2001).
Girls highlighted bullying as a major issue for them personally or their fellow students (Osler et al 2002).

A recent survey highlighted that bullying by girls on girls is a growing cause of concern and includes physical violence as well as more covert, indirect methods. These include spreading rumours, writing nasty notes and social isolation. Girls have also become very adept at using new technologies such as text or Internet messaging to inflict mental pain.

Due to tighter social structures girls are able to exploit relationships and manipulate situations to harm other girls (Michelle/Osler et al 2002). The consequence of this is that the bullying it is extremely difficult to detect and stop but also it has a much greater emotional and long-term impact. In school it is crucial boys will tend to be recognised and dealt with more easily than other more subtle forms. Girls tend to internalise problems such as bullying but their needs are as great as anyone else.

Victims in Primary school tend to be in the same class as the bully whereas in Secondary schools they tend to be in the same year.

A bully can come from any family, social class or background.