Bullying in Higher Institutions of Education
For a long time now, people have been more conversant with bullying in high school. Few, when asked whether bullying exists in colleges and university, will say yes. The reason for this is that bullying in higher institutions of education is not talked about like the bullying that happens in high school. As such, many people will assert that there is no bullying in colleges and universities when in reality it does happen. Bullying is the use of superior influence or strength to scare an individual by compelling them to do something. This paper will explore three reasons to show that bullying exists in university and colleges as well as giving personal examples and examine steps undertaken to prevent the practice.
Causes of Bullying in Higher Institutions of Education
Admittedly, bullying exists in college and university. Among the main causes of bullying is race. Ideally, in higher institutions of learning, there are students from different cultures and of different races. For example, there are white and black students. Apparently, study shows that many black students are prone to bullying than the white students in college and university (Cowie & Myers, 2016). Ideally, there is a notion that the whites are superior, a factor that has led to many white students victimizing black students, especially in the US. Notably, students of the same race are likely to gang up together to harass a student from a different color. This is the overarching cause of bullying in many colleges and universities across the globe. In the US, it takes the form of discrimination and has adverse effects on those who are bullied. Another factor that shows that bullying exists in higher institutions of education is gender. The female gender is more prone to bullying than the male gender due to the weakness. Many female students are bullied by male students and also their fellow female students. Additionally, bullying in these institutions goes a notch higher to the adult staff members. This takes the form of threats to professional status, belittling and preventing access to opportunities such as training workshops (Dalager, 2016). A good example of this is where some professors with authority decide to block opportunities for others to enhance their career through seminars and training as well as withholding information.
Steps to Address Bullying in Higher Institutions of Education
Apparently, there have been steps set aside to address this problem in colleges and universities. One of these steps is the use of campaigns. These are campaigns used to create alertness to students on the help and guidance that exist for them. For example, in the article, Bullying in Universities: It exists, the "Bullying Sucks Day" is a good example of such campaigns. The importance of campaigns is that they educate the students on the dangers of bullying and how one can access help in case of bullying (Karim, 2010). The use of support pages is another way to address this challenge. In this, there are support pages on social media like Facebook where an individual can post in case one is bullied to get help. A good example is the (GLAAD) network support that was started by MTV and Facebook to aid LGBT teens to fight online harassment. Lastly, there is the creation of awareness. This can be carried out by a group of motivational speakers going to higher institutions of education to sensitize the students as well as the staff on the dangers of bullying and how to seek help when one experiences bullying.
Conclusion
Ultimately, bullying exists in colleges and universities. As noted in the above discussion, gender, adult, and race are the main causes. Ideally, this practice does not only affect students but also the staff. To address the problem, creating support pages, awareness, and campaigns can be useful.
References
Cowie, H., " Myers, C. A. (2016). What do we know about bullying and cyberbullying among university students?.
Dalager, J. K. (2016). Bullying in the Academic Department. The Department Chair, 26(4), 5-7.
Karim, N. (2010, January 15). Bullying in Universities: It exists. Retrieved from https://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/higher/bullying-in-universities-it-exists-1869267.html
Does Bullying Still Happen in College or University? (2014, April 11). Retrieved from http://studymagazine.com/2010/11/11/bullying-college-university/
