It’s hard to admit that you are bullying someone.
In fact, most children recognize their actions, but do not understand why they are doing it, said Dr. John LeBlanc, an associate professor of pediatrics at Dalhousie University in Halifax.
He said there are three components of bullying: An intent to harm, a power imbalance and repetition. So the person who is bullying is well aware of their actions, said LeBlanc.
“But they just don’t know why.”
He said it’s hard “for someone who is bullying, for them to have the insight to say, ‘Oh, I’m bullying. I better stop.’”
“Usually they are bullying because they want to bully. Children who bully do it for a reason. They’re usually troubled children themselves,” he said.
Consequently, it’s rare for a child to stop the behaviour without some sort of intervention, he said.
“You can’t expect the bully to stop it on their own, nor the victim. The victim is already in a weakened position,” he said.
