BULLYING

In my experience, the following measures are helpful with mobbing:

In general:

• Early intervention
• Raise public awareness
• Document the incidents in an understandable way and give proof if possible

In school:

• Clear attitude and values of the teaching staff
• Possibly talk to the perpetrator’s parents
• Structured approach with anti-mobbing programs, such as the No Blame Approach
• Support the child (victim): actively finding solutions together, self-defense course to change their presence, reduce fear and enable them to defend themselves in an emergency
• Change the class or school as a last resort

On the job:

• Clear attitude and values of the management
• Request employer to take responsibility (works committee/ management)
• Change the job as a last resort

It is definitely unfair and, theoretically, does not make sense for the mobbing victim to change their school or work environment, so that the perpetrators remain and possibly face no consequences. However, in the case of extensive mobbing, there’s a high risk for the victim to become mentally ill and potentially develop long-term damage, such as social anxiety. Also, experience shows that some mobbing processes cannot be terminated or redirected, for example when damaging rumors have made their rounds. In these cases it may be sensible to leave the damaging environment regardless.