28 Questions About Bullying To Detect Violence In Class
Bullying is a phenomenon that, although it has probably existed since ancient times, has not received much media attention until relatively recently. We are facing an act of continuous abuse and harassment over time that can have devastating effects on those who suffer from it, both physically and psychologically.
Often the suffering of children and young people who suffer from bullying remains hidden, either due to fear or shame on their part, due to the law of silence that is usually frequent in classrooms regarding the subject or even the lack of capacity, tools or knowledge. by adults responsible for detecting or dealing with acts of aggression (unfortunately, sometimes without even being ignored and undervalued). This article presents a series of possible questions about bullying that could help detect the existence of cases in the school environment.
We understand bullying or harassment as any type of relationship between peers in which a relationship of inequality is established in which one or more subjects commit any type of voluntary act that intends to harm, harass or harm in some way. another or other individuals.
The victim(s) are subdued in some way by the aggressors, which act persistently over time. These abusive relationships occur either within the school context or between subjects related by their coexistence in an educational institution.
The abusive acts that are carried out can be of a very diverse nature and be carried out both directly (attacking the attacked subject in an obvious way) and indirectly (promoting his exclusion, discrediting him or humiliating him through the networks). Bullying can include physical attacks, insults or humiliation, theft, active marginalization of the minor, publication and sending of materials on networks in which the minor is criticized or directly attacked (including videos), coercion, identity theft or even induction. to suicide.
In this area, it is important to take into account that There are not only the attacked and the aggressor, but there are also witnesses of acts that may promote or prevent harassment or simply not get involved. Teachers and the educational institution, as well as families, also have an important role. You can work from very different perspectives (prevention and treatment of existing cases being priorities) and with the different agents involved.
But in order to work with bullying situations and stop them, it is first necessary to be able to detect the existence of cases. Multiple organizations use for this different tests and questions that can be used to achieve this detection
Questions about bullying
Below are a series of questions about bullying which can be used to identify cases of abuse at school, prevent them or obtain information regarding attitudes and beliefs regarding bullying (some of which have been extracted from tests proposed by organizations such as the Ministry of Education).
These questions They can be done to the entire class group, to individual students (whether witnesses, attacked or aggressors) or even teachers and family members. They can be done through a questionnaire (preferably anonymous) or through an individual interview.
1. Could you tell me what it is like to be in your class?
This question can be used to visualize the general climate that exists in the class and whether the minor in question feels comfortable in it or not.
2. How do you feel in relation to your classmates?
Although similar to the previous one, this time the emphasis on the student’s relationship with the rest of his classmates Depending on the answer, you can deduce whether or not there are specific problems in this regard.
3. Have you noticed any conflict between some students in your class?
Although it may be normal for there to be small conflicts between colleagues, this question allows the subject to evaluate whether they are frequent or if they have frequent protagonists.
4. Do you know of someone who has ever been attacked or insulted by a classmate or student?
This question allows the subject to indicate if they have ever seen a case or if they have currently been able to witness it.
5. Do you know what bullying is? Could you explain to me what it is or give me an example?
Knowing what bullying is is essential to be able to detect a case, so knowledge of the concept is very important. Both in students and teachers.
6. What types of bullying do you know and what do you think about them?
Although today bullying is a topic that is often talked about, in many cases not everything that it entails is known or an act that in reality is is not considered aggression (for example, promoting the marginalization of a person in specific or creating a WhatsApp group to laugh at a person), only physical harassment being considered as such.
7. Do you think it is common for new technologies and social networks to be used to harm other people?
Nowadays, children and young people tend to be connected to networks increasingly in advance, and they can report the existence of cases of harassment derived from their use.
8. Do you know of any case in which a student has been or is frequently attacked or insulted, or attacked through the networks?
Getting into the matter, the subject who is questioned can answer and indicate his knowledge or lack of knowledge regarding current or past cases.
9. Do you think that aggression between students is a problem at this center?
The students are the ones who see and experience these situations firsthand, so they can easily indicate if any type of harassment is taking place. This question can also be asked of teachers or family members.
10. Has it ever happened to you?
A direct question, but one that will allow the child to express whether he or she has had a similar experience or is currently experiencing it.
11. Have you ever felt bullied in class or been threatened?
Intimidation is very common in cases of bullying. It also allows detecting the presence of dominance attitudes in some students.
12. Have your things ever been stolen or hidden? Do you know someone to whom it has happened?
What may seem like a game to some students may hide the intention to harass or generate deep suffering for a specific person. In the case of robbery, goods or property are also stolen, sometimes with violence.
Degrading nicknames are one of the most common and frequent types of harassment.
14. Could you tell me what happened/happened?
Assuming the answer to any of the above is positive, it is important to know what happened.
15. Is it something that continues over time?
It is necessary to identify if the problem or aggression occurred at a specific time or is something frequent, or if it is still current.
16. Could you tell me when and where the problem started?
Assuming that the answer to any of the above is positive, contextualizing the situation can help you work and understand how established the problem is or the type of harassment suffered
17. How do you think someone would feel in that situation?
This question seeks to get the person being asked to try to put themselves in the place of someone who is being harassed. It can be preventive by making people reflect on the situation of those attacked.
18. What consequences do you think suffering from bullying can have for those who suffer from it?
In this case, the knowledge of the consequences of bullying for the main person affected is evaluated, which are often only partially known or ignored.
19. Have you ever seen someone record or take photos of another without their permission? What do you think about it?
This question allows you to obtain information regarding the use of audiovisual material against the will of the recorded or photographed subject.
20. Have you ever seen a post or group on the Internet where a classmate is laughed at?
Cyberbullying is a form of bullying which is increasingly prevalent today, and questions like this can help detect cases.
21. How do/would you feel when/if this happened to you? What if you saw how it happens to someone else?
The expression of emotions and thoughts in this regard allows you to report a possible experience of harassment or to empathize with those who suffer from it. In addition to being encouraged to relate one’s own or visualized experiences and detect cases, it can serve as a preventive measure.
22. What do you think someone who harasses others thinks?
Putting yourself in the shoes of both the harassed and the harasser can allow for better detection of phenomena and situations linked to harassment. Likewise, knowing the motives of the bully can help the bullying to be stopped by the classmates themselves.
23. What do/would you do when/if this happens?
Whether the individual has suffered or seen another suffer bullying, answering this question allows for debate regarding ways to act in said situation. Furthermore, in the event that we are facing a confirmed case It allows us to see what the minor has tried to do and whether it has had any effect or not
24. What do you think would have to happen for the problem to be solved?
This question can allow the individual being asked to indicate possible ways to solve the problem and put themselves in other people’s shoes.
25. Why do you think some students mistreat others? / Why do you think it happened?
This question can make you reflect on the aspects that cause abuse, which can be useful in order to prevent a case or for an abused or aggressor to express what they consider to be the reason for bullying.
26. In order to solve this type of case, it is important to ask for help. Have you/would you tell anyone? What if it was something anonymous?
It is important to understand the importance of acts of harassment being reported or informed about them in order to be able to act. Likewise, in some cases it is not done for fear of reprisals, which is why It might be helpful to establish some kind of anonymous reporting mechanism
27. Would you be willing to do something to help the person who is being bullied?
This question reveals whether the person being asked has done or would do something to prevent a situation of harassment or would report if he or she witnessed an act of this nature.
28. Do you have any questions about what we have worked on or is there anything you want to add?
Even if it is not initially answered at the moment the initial question is asked, it is possible that before finishing the conversation, a witness or a subject who is being harassed may decide to tell what he or she has seen or experienced, thereby create a space for expression can be of great help.
Salmivalli, C.,Kaukiainen, A. & Lagerspetz, K. (2000). Aggression and sociometric status among peers: Do gender and type of aggression matter. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology. 41, 17-24.
Ombudsman Ombudsman. (2006). Coexistence and conflicts at educational centers. Extraordinary Report. Barcelona: Ombudsman of Catalonia.
