Bullying as Seen by Its Student Victims, Perpetrators and Witnesses — A Case Study Conducted in A School Near the Brazilian Capital

Adriana Lira, Meirielle Castro Diógenes 
(Catholic University of Brasília, Brazil)

Abstract: This study set out to verify the occurrence of bullying in a school given the serious effects it has not only on victims but also on the onlookers and the aggressors themselves; all of them victims according to Ortega and Del Rey (2002). It also sought to identify what actions the school unfolds to address bullying. Notwithstanding the number of studies of the phenomenon made to date it continues to be a major source of concern for parents and schools given its frequent occurrence among children and pre-adolescents. In that light the authors conducted a quanti-qualitative research survey, based on a questionnaire, to register students’ perceptions of bullying. The Questionnaire was elaborated on the basis of the respective literature and composed of closed and open-ended questions making it possible to analyze the profiles of the student protagonists (victims, authors and witnesses) of bullying and to gather information for an analysis designed to provide greater understanding of the phenomenon as it occurs in schools. The results show that bullying is regarded as almost natural in the school environment and the article concludes that the school team needs to invest more effort in prevention activities and closely accompany any cases of it that appear.

Key words: school violence, bullying, authorship, victimization, witness