Institute of Education - Bullies are victims too

The stereotypical image of the school bully needs to be revised, researchers suggest. According to a study by the Institute of Education, most children who bully are themselves bullied by other pupils, and fewer than 1 per cent of primary school children are "true bullies". Bullies are also more likely than their classmates to suffer from low self-esteem, depression and behavioural problems from early childhood and through primary school. Leslie Gutman, lead author of the study, believes that schools need to teach that bullying is unacceptable and hold perpetrators to account for their actions, but also feels there should be greater awareness of the wider consequences and causes of bullying behaviour.