Why Bullying (of autistics) May Be More of a Problem to Solve Than We Realize

    Autistic children and teens are 63% more likely to be bullied than others in their social class (Oswald, 2020). Without that figure, bullying is still rampant. A 2013 Psychology Today article raised the question, "Can bullying be ever be stopped?" Yes, we must understand the evolutionary nature of bullying, which is not confined to one species. Bullying occurs across the human world and in all other primate species and animal species like wolves (Harper, 2013, Sherrow., 2011).

    Studies show that mice bullied by their own species and experiencing repeated social defeats are more anxious and agitated (Sherrow, 2011). If bullying is hardwired into primate species, how do human primates combat on a social level? The following points are suggested.

• A strict proactive (not reactive) zero-tolerance policy against bullying.
• School officials everywhere
• No of this "I did not see it" rhetoric from teachers. All allegations of bullying are investigated.
• Cameras everywhere, and where cameras cannot be placed, a teacher or other school official is placed.

    

    References

Autism and trauma: Bullying. (2021, September 6). Tasha Oswald. Retrieved January 30, 2022, from https://opendoorstherapy. com/autism-and-trauma-bullying

Harper, J. (2013, September 12). Animal Rites: What Animal Behavior Teaches Us About Bullying. Psychology Today. https:// www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/beyond-bullying/ 201309/animal-rites-what-animal-behavior-teaches-us-about-bullying

Sherrow, H. (2011, December 15). The origins of bullying. Scientific American Blog Network. https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/the-origins-of-bullying/?print=true