ABSTRACT: Bullying is a global phenomenon with devastating consequences for the victims, their families, and the societies at large. Bullying is a serious social ill; a lived experience capable of turning individuals within a given society into social misfits with long-term implications. This paper reflects on the account of the stories by some Nigerian school girls of their classroom experiences in a heterogeneous school setting. Aspects of the deliberations from among the 25 girls (and 25 boys as well) who took part in the study are employed in this paper to interrogate how gendered bullying played into the girls’ perceptions of their classroom. Results from the study show that within co-educational classroom, girls are more likely to be bully-victims than boys. Results also revealed that boys are more likely to be perpetrators of bullying than girls in a mixed-sex classroom. Bullying as lived experience, therefore, emerges in the study as a form of belligerent masculinity; and is germane to the understanding of the girl participants’ submissive posture as they struggled for space and identity within the classroom in complex and subtle ways. The implications of this for co-education and co-educational policy-making are highlighted and recommendations for changes in policy and practice are equally suggested.

KEY WORDS: Schooling, classroom bullying, girls’ participation, gender, Nigerian school girls, and co-education and co-educational policy-making.

About the Author: Chinedu I.O. Okeke, Ph.D. is a Lecturer at the Department of Educational Foundations & Management, Faculty of Education UOS (University of Swaziland), Kwaluseni Campus, Private Bag 4 Kwaluseni M201, Swaziland, Africa. Phone: +26825170374. Fax: +26825185276. Email address: okekechinedu@yahoo.com and ciookeke@gmail.com

How to cite this article? Okeke, Chinedu I.O. (2012). “Bullying as Gendered Violence: Girls Talk of Their Classroom Experiences within a Heterogeneous Classroom” in EDUCARE: International Journal for Educational Studies, Vol.5(1) August, pp.1-14. Bandung, Indonesia: Minda Masagi Press owned by ASPENSI in Bandung, West Java; and FKIP UMP in Purwokerto, Central Java, ISSN 1979-7877.

Chronicle of the article: Accepted (June 15, 2012); Revised (July 17, 2012); and Published (August 17, 2012).

Aluede, O. (2004). “Psychological Maltreatment of Students: A Form of Child Abuse and School Violence” in Journal of Human Ecology, 16(4), pp.265-270.

Andreou, E. (2001). “Bully/Victim Problems and Their Association with Coping Behaviour in Conflictual Peer Interactions among School-Age Children” in Educational Psychology, 21(2), pp.247-253.

Andreou, E. (2004). “Bully/Victim Problems and Their Association with Machiavellianism and Self-Efficacy in Greek Primary School Children” in British Journal of Educational Psychology, 74, pp.297-309.

Baldry, A.C. (2004). “What about Bullying? An Experimental Field Study to Understand Students’ Attitudes towards Bullying and Victimization in Italian Middle Schools” in British Journal of Educational Psychology, 74, pp.583-598.

Baldry, A.C. & D.P. Farrington. (2000). “Bullies and Delinquents: Personal Characteristics and Parental Styles” in Journal of Community and Applied Social Psychology, 10, pp.17-31.

Balogun, S.K., P.O. Olapegba & A.S. Opayemi. (2006). “Influence of Gender, Age, Religion, and Ethnicity on Peer-Victimization among Primary Four Pupils in Ibadan, Nigeria” in Studies of Tribes and Tribals, 4(2), pp.109-112.

Bond, L. et al. (2001). “Does Bullying Cause Emotional Problem? A Prospective Study of Young Teenagers” in British Medical Journal, 323, pp.480-484.

Connolly, I. & M. O’Moore. (2003). “Personality and Family Relations of Children Who Bullying” in Personality and Individual Differences, 35, pp.559-567.

Craig, W., R. Peters & R. Konarski. (1998). Bullying and Victimization among Canadian School Children. Quebec, Canada: Human Resources Development.

Crews, K., J. Crews & F. Turner. (2008). “School Violence is Not Going Away so Proactive Steps are Needed” in College Teaching Methods & Styles Journal, 4(1), pp.25-28.

Delfabbro, P. et al. (2006). “Peer and Teacher Bullying/Victimization of South Australian Secondary School Students: Prevalence and Psychosocial Profiles” in British Journal of Psychology, 76, pp.71-90.

Dill, E. et al., (2004). “Negative Affect in Victimized Children: The Roles of Social Withdrawal, Peer Rejection, and Attitudes toward Bullying” in Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 32, pp.159-173.

Egbochuku, E.O. (2007). “Bullying in Nigerian Schools: Prevalence Study and Implications for Counseling” in Journal of Social Sciences, 14(1), pp.65-71.

Ellis, A. & R. Shute. (2007). “Teacher Responses to Bullying in Relation to Moral Orientation and Seriousness of Bullying” in British Journal of Educational Psychology, 77, pp.649-663.

Farrell, A.D. et al. (2001). “Development and Evaluation of School-Based Violence Prevention Programs” in Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 30, pp.207-220.

Farrell, A.D., A.L. Meyer & K.S. White. (2001). “Evaluation of Responding in Peaceful and Positive Ways (RIPP): A School-Based Prevention Program for Reducing Violence among Urban Adolescents” in Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 30(4), pp.451-463.

Flouri, E. & A. Buchanan. (2003). “The Role of Mother Involvement and Father Involvement in Adolescence Bullying Behaviour” in Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 18(6), pp.634-644.

Fox, C.L. & M.J. Boulton. (2005). “The Social Skills Problems of Victims of Bullying: Self, Peer, and Teacher Perceptions” in British Journal of Educational Psychology, 75, pp.313-328.

Galand, B., C. Lecocq & P. Philippot. (2007). “School Violence and Teacher Professional Disengagement” in British Journal of Educational Psychology, 77, pp.465-477.

Georgiou, S.N. (2008). “Bullying and Victimization at School: The Role of Mothers” in British Journal of Educational Psychology, 78, pp.109-125.

Glaser, B. & A. Strauss. (1999). The Discovery of Grounded Theory: Strategies for Qualitative Research. Chicago: Aldine.

Hanish, L.D. & N.G. Guerra. (2000). “Predictors of Peer Victimization among Urban Youth” in Social Development, 9(4), pp.521-543.

Hasting, R.P. & M.S. Bham. (2003). “The Relationship between Student Behaviour Patterns and Teacher Burnout” in School Psychology International, 24, pp.115-127.

Hunter, S.C., J.M.E. Boyle & D. Warden. (2007). “Perceptions and Correlates of Peer-Victimization and Bullying” in British Journal of Educational Psychology, 77, pp.797-810.

Karatzias, A., K.G. Power & V. Swanson. (2002). “Bullying and Victimization in Scottish Secondary Schools: Same of Separate Entities” in Aggressive Behaviour, 28, pp.45-61.

Karcher, M.J. (2002). “The Cycle of Violence and Disconnection among Rural Middle School Students: Teacher Disconnection as a Consequence of Violence” in Journal of School Violence, 1(1), pp.35-51.

Kenny, M.C., A.G. McEachern & O. Aluede. (2005). “Female Bullying: Prevention and Counseling Intervention” in Journal of Social Sciences, 8, pp.13-19.

Lawrence, C. & K. Green. (2005). “Perceiving Classroom Aggression: The Influence of Setting, Intervention Style, and Group Perceptions” in British Journal of Educational Psychology, 75, pp.587-602.

Lewis, R. (2001). “Classroom Discipline and Student Responsibility: The Students’ View” in Teaching and Teacher Education, 17(3), pp.307-319.

Lowry, R. et al. (1999). “School Violence, Substance Use, and Availability of Illegal Drugs on School Property among US High School Students” in Journal of School Health, 69(9), pp.347-355.

Maliki, A.E., C.G. Asagwara & J.F. Ibu. (2009). “Bullying Problems among School Children” in Journal of Human Ecology, 25(3), pp.209-213.

Mazza, J.J. & S. Overstreet. (2000). “Children and Adolescents Exposed to Community Violence: A Mental Health Perspective for School Psychologists” in School Psychology Review, 29(1), pp.86-101.

Naylor, P. et al. (2001). “Teachers’ and Pupils’ Definitions of Bullying” in British Journal of Educational Psychology, 76, pp.553-576.

Neumann, S.B. & D.K. Dickinson. (2002). Handbook of Early Literacy Research. New York: The Guilford Press.

Newman, R.S., B. Murray & C. Lussier. (2001). “Confrontation with Aggressive Peers at School: Students’ Reluctance to Seek Help from the Teacher” in Journal of Educational Psychology, 93(2), pp.398-410.

Nickel, M. K. et al. (2005). “Anger, Interpersonal Relationships, and Health Related Quality of Life in Bullying Boys Who are Treated with Outpatient Family Therapy: A Randomized, Prospective, Controlled Trial with 1 Year Follow-Up” in Pediatrics, 116, pp.247-254.

Obikeze, D.S. (1990). Methods of Data Analysis in the Social and Behavioural Sciences. Enugu: Auto-Century Publishing Company Limited.

Olweus, D. (2001). Olweus’ Core Program Against Bullying and Antisocial Behaviour: A Teacher Handbook. Bergen, Norway: Research Centre for Health promotion.

Olweus, D. (2003). “Bully/Victim Problems in School” in S. Einarsen et al. [eds]. Bullying and Emotional Abuse in the Workplace: International Perspectives in Research and Practice. London: Taylor and Francis, pp.62-78.

Olweus, D. (2005). “A Useful Evaluation Design and Effects of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program” in Psychology, Crime, and Law, 11, pp.389-402.

Omoteso, B.A. (2010). “Bullying Behaviour: Its Associated Factors and Psychological Effects among Secondary Students in Nigeria” in The Journal of International Social Research, 3(10), pp.498-509.

Parry, O. (1996). “In One Ear and Out the Other: Unmasking Masculinities in the Caribbean Classroom” in Sociological Research Online, Vol.1(4). Available also at: http://www.socesonline.org.uk/socresonline/1/4/2.htmL [Accessed in Kwaluseni, Swaziland, Africa: 15 January 2012].

Petersen, G.J. (1997). “Looking at the Big Picture: School Administrators and Violence Reduction” in Journal of School Leadership, 7(5), pp.456-479.

Plummer, K. (2000). “Symbolic Interactionism in the 20th Century” in B.S. Turner [ed]. The Blackwell Companion to Social Theory. Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishers, 2nd editions.

Popenoe, D. (2000). Sociology. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Rigby, K. (1999). “Peer Victimization at School and the Health of Secondary School Students” in British Journal of Educational Psychology, 69, pp.95-104.

Rigby, K. (2000). “Effects of Peer Victimization in School and Perceived Social Support on Adolescent Well-Being” in Journal of Adolescence, 23, pp.57-68.

Rigby, K. (2002). New Perspectives on Bullying. London: Jessica Kingsley.

Roland, E. (2002). “Bullying, Depressive Symptoms, and Suicidal Thoughts” in Educational Research, 44, pp.55-67.

Seals, D. & J. Young. (2003). “Bullying Victimization: Prevalence and Relationship to Gender, Grade Level, Ethnicity, Self-Esteem, and Depression” in Adolescence, 38, pp.735-747.

Shelly, R.K. (1996). “Feminine Speech in Homogeneous Gender Groups” in Current Research, 1(6), pp.50-59.

Skiba, R.J. & R.L. Peterson. (2000). “School Discipline at a Crossroads: From Zero Tolerance to Early Response” in Exceptional Children, 66(3), pp.335-347.

Smith, P.K., S. Shu & K. Madsen. (2001). “Characteristics of Victims of School Bullying: Developmental Changes in Coping Strategies and Skills” in J. Juvonen & S. Graham [eds]. Peer Harassment in School: The Plight of the Vulnerable and the Victimized. New York: Guilford, pp.332-351.

Smith, P.K. et al. (2004). “Profiles of Non-Victims, Escaped Victims, Continuing Victims and New Victims of School Bullying” in British Journal of Educational Psychology, 74, pp.565-581.

Solberg, M.E., D. Olweus & I.M. Endresen. (2007). “Bullies and Victims at School: Are They the Same Pupils?” in British Journal of Educational Psychology, 77, pp.441-464.

Stewart, P. & M. O’Neill. (1999). “Critical Literacy: A Qualitative Investigation of Some Conceptualizations, Practices, and Implications for English Teaching” in Education Research and Perspective, 26(2), pp.73-84.

Sweeting, H. et al. (2006). “Peer Victimization and Depression in Early-Mid Adolescence: A Longitudinal Study” in British Journal of Educational Psychology, 76, pp.577-594.

Tepperman, L. (2005). Deviance, Crime, and Control. Don Mills, Ontario: Oxford University Press.

Tolan, P. & N. Guerra. (2002). What Works in Reducing Adolescent Violence: An Empirical Review of the Field? Colorado: Institute of Behavioral Science.

van Dick, R. & U. Wagner. (2003). “Stress and Strain in Teaching: A Structural Equation Approach” in British Journal of Educational Psychology, 71, pp.243-259.

Wildy, H. (1999). “Statuses, Lenses, and Crystals: Looking at Qualitative Research” in Education Research and Perspective, Vol.26(2), pp.61-72.

Wolfinger, N.H. & J. Rabow. (1997). “The Different Voices of Gender: Social Recognition” in Current Research in Social Psychology, 2(6), pp.50-65.

Wolke, D. et al. (2001). “Bullying and Victimization of Primary School Children in England and Germany: Prevalence and School Factors” in British Journal of Psychology, 92, pp.673-696.

Yoon, J.S. & K. Kerber. (2003). “Predicting Teacher Intervention in Bullying Situations” in Education and Treatment of Children, 27(1), pp.37-45.

Young, R. & H. Sweeting. (2004). “Adolescent Bullying, Relationships, Mental Health, and Gender Atypical Behaviour: A Gender Diagnosticity Approach” in Sex Roles, 50, pp.525-538.