Researchers
Michael Flood
Michael Flood is a researcher at LaTrobe University, in a VicHealth-funded position focused on the prevention of violence against women. He has also had significant involvement with the Australian White Ribbon Campaign which responds to this issue. Michael's research is on men and gender, heterosexuality, interpersonal violence and related topics.
Michael how do you explain the relationship between bullying and violence?
Actually, I am concerned that 'bullying' has become a catch-all term for all forms of intrusive, harassing, and assaultive behaviour in schools. There are several problems with this. First, it diminishes the seriousness and harm of behaviours which may in fact constitute sexual harassment and physical or sexual assault. We miss the real harms associated with these behaviours, and schools may neglect their criminal character and schools' own legal responsibilities.
Second, the widespread use of the term 'bullying' hides the actual character of much of this behaviour. We know for example that in schools, 'bullying' behaviours often are highly gendered. Boys and young men experience high levels of verbal and physical harassment, largely by other boys and young men. And it's clear that this often represents males' rigid policing of appropriate masculine behaviour. Boys (and men) who stray outside the boundaries of masculine behaviour, by behaving in ways which are seen to be "poofy" or "wimpy" or "girly", are immediately faced with verbal and physical attack. Bullying is a way to enforce dominant models of manhood, to prove your manhood and heterosexuality, and to gain power and status in hierarchies of power among boys and men.
Having said that, it's also clear that there are strong relationships between violence against girls and women in particular and other forms of violence or abuse in the community. Males and females at school may learn a greater tolerance of violence through exposure to violence by their parents, peers, and others. It's clear too that girls and young women face particularly high risks of violence in dating and relationships, higher than those among older women. Girls and young women face high risks of sexual harassment, and sexual violence.
So we need to focus on violence prevention as well as bullying?
Yes, all this means that violence prevention efforts are absolutely essential among children and young people. I'm encouraged to report that violence prevention education programs among children and young people can work. Done properly and done well, they can produce positive and lasting change in attitudes and behaviours.
What are the causes of violence against girls and women?
The most influential causes can be found in gender - in the social organisation of men's and women's lives and relations. One key factor is men's gender-role attitudes and beliefs. Men who agree with sexist, patriarchal, or sexually hostile attitudes are much more likely than other men to assault women. Other key risk factors for violence include male-dominated relationships and families, violence-supportive peer cultures, and contexts with traditional gender norms. For example, there are higher rates of sexual violence against young women in contexts where you've got gender segregation, an ethic of male sexual conquest, strong male bonding, high alcohol consumption, pornography use, and sexist social norms. Other causes include community violence and tolerance for violence in general, social isolation and social disadvantage.
Why do you focus on boys and men?
Firstly, while most males do not perpetrate intimate partner violence, intimate partner violence is perpetrated largely by males. Second, constructions of masculinity play a crucial role in shaping some men's perpetration of physical and sexual assault. Third, and more hopefully, men have a positive role to play in helping to end men's violence against women (Flood 2005-2006). It is particularly important that we mobilise boys and men, because of many males' greater endorsement of violence-supportive attitudes, men's roles as community leaders and gatekeepers, and men's relative absence from efforts to end violence against women. One effort oriented directly to this is the White Ribbon Campaign.
But women and girls can be violent too.
Of course they can. Focusing on domestic or dating violence for example, there's evidence that physical aggression by both males and females is relatively common in young people's relationships. However, it's also clear that young women are more likely to be physically injured and to be scared. Girls and young women suffer more from dating violence, they are more afraid, and they experience much more sexual violence than boys and young men.
What are some of the other influences which you have investigated through your research?
Focusing on violence against girls and women, it's obvious from three decades of scholarship that this violence has multiple causes, including at individual and relationship, community and organisational, and societal levels. But there are some influences I've become particularly concerned about. For example, there's good reason to think that growing numbers of boys and young men are regularly using pornography, particularly Internet porn. I suspect that pornography is playing an increasingly influential role in boys' and young men's peer cultures and social and sexual relations, and that it's encouraging sexist and callous views of women and sex and shaping some males' sexually coercive behaviour. There is consistent and reliable evidence that exposure to pornography is related to male sexual aggression against women. Yes, children and young people need access to materials on sex and sexuality, but pornography in general is a very poor sex educator.
What role do parents and families have in reducing violence against women and girls?
For a start, it's vital that we intervene in the intergenerational transmission of violence. Physical or sexual violence against adult women often is accompanied by violence against their children. Whether children are witnesses to or direct victims of interpersonal violence, their experience can have profound and long-lasting effects on their health and well-being. Young people learn a greater tolerance of violence through exposure to violence by their parents, delinquent peers, and others. Children, and especially boys, who either witness violence or are subjected to violence themselves are more likely as adults to have violence-supportive attitudes and to perpetrate violence, although is by no means inevitable.
How can teachers and schools contribute to violence prevention?
Teachers can shape students' ability to escape violence, their choices to avoid violence, and their tolerance for violence. The formal policies and procedures, curricula, teaching strategies, and informal cultures of schools all have an influence on violence, whether discouraging or encouraging. Teachers can invite violence prevention educators to run sessions and workshops at their school, assist in introducing and supporting existing programs on violence for students, and organise and participate in professional development programs for teachers and other staff. Education programs which are intensive, lengthy, and use a variety of pedagogical approaches have been shown to produce positive and lasting change in attitudes and behaviours. Finally, teachers and schools have a valuable role to play in involving students in campaigns of community education and social change, both based at school and in wider communities. Teachers can encourage their school to have a regular day in the school year which is focused on non-violence. Have school-wide campaigns and ceremonies which reward and celebrate peaceful and respectful ways of behaving and relating. Link up with community organisations, parents' groups and other bodies to organise a "Week Without Violence" or to participate in national efforts such as the White Ribbon Campaign.
For more information
White Ribbon Day
Students and schools can take part and can use the campaign's website to get ribbons, resource kits, and flyers.
Bullying. No way! Ideas box
Ideas for students, parents and carers, teachers and the school community.
Flood (2006) Why violence against women and girls happens, and how to prevent it: A framework and some key strategies. (PDF)
Flood and Hamilton (2003) Youth and Pornography in Australia : Evidence on the extent of exposure and likely effects. Discussion Paper No. 52
The Australia Institute Publications
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