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STOP Girl Bullying
The experts refer to the problem as "Relational Aggression". We use the term given us by the adolescent
girls and young women who helped create this program – Girl Bullying. One oft cited internet statistic is that a
girl is bullied every seven minutes. Almost one-third of girls are directly involved in bullying (as the bully
or target), eighty-five percent say they have been an observer, by stander or witness, who almost always take no action,
because of fear of becoming the target.
Girl Bullying or RA takes various forms (gossiping, teasing, public humiliation, ostracism or exclusion,
creating paranoia, on line pranks and technology based bullying are known as cyber-bullying. The goal of girls'
involvement in these behaviors is to boost their own influence, gain social power, for peer approval and because
of a desire for excitement and even due to boredom.
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Psychologist Sharon Lamb explains that girls are raised to
channel their emotions in certain ways, particularly to hide aggressive emotions such as anger. Middle class
girls, especially, are not permitted to be angry and they are indoctrinated to go to great pains to deny, mask
or hide anger. Girls are masters of indirect action when it comes to anger, mostly popularly through gossiping
and exclusion. The emphasis on appearance can be used for whatever purpose those in social power need to stay
in power. Girls who are thin are accused of being bulimic or anorexic while overweight girls are called "fat"
are accused of having no self control, and having no social value (i.e., "Who would want to be your friend/go
out with you?").
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Our program teaches skills to end the culture of meanness and self-criticism among girls/young women and empower
them not to become victims of domestic abuse or to be able to recognize a healthy relationship and make changes.
Our program, STOP Girl Bullying, seeks to address the underlying issues which lead to internalizing (anxiety,
depression, self-harm, unearned guilt, self exclusion from sports and clubs) and acting out behaviors such as substance
abuse, promiscuity, poor choices in relationships, goal setting lower than abilities. STOP Girl Bullying addresses all
aspects of the problem. The program emphasizes the skills of empathy, communication and self-esteem and is inclusive
of bullies, targets and witnesses. The girls address ways to change the culture of meanness among young girls.
The program is designed to be delivered in five meetings of about one and one half or two hours, but can be adapted to
be delivered during the school day in two class periods for every meeting. The Stop Girls Bullying program is designed
for use with middle school and/or high school age girls.
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Stop Girl Bullying
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