Analysis of bullying prevalence in Akmenė district mainstream schools

Bullying is a deliberate, unprovoked, and repetitive negative conduct of one or more persons directed against the person for whom it is difficult to defend. Children bully at each other in a wide range of ways: cavilling, laughing, hurting, spitting, humiliation, pushing, kicking, etc. Bullying is everywhere where children meet, interact and play: on the streets, at homes, schools, courts, etc. Bullying is a social problem related to pupils' health problems and negative features of life. Bullying among school children in Akmenė district mainstream schools is a widespread phenomenon: almost half of the 5th to 9th grade pupils over the past two months suffered frequent (once or several times a week) peer bullying, one-third of the kids mocked at others. Pupils not only experience verbal bullying most of all, but also they use various forms of verbal bullying. In most cases, school bullying arises in the corridors, the least in the toilets. Boys are more likely victims of bullying than girls are, boys also bully others more often. The greatest bullying is experienced by 5th and 6th grade pupils, 5th, 7th and 8th graders mostly bully others. The study found that pupils in the bullying situations usually try to demonstrate that it does not bother them, or respond to the bullying peers in the same manner