Our Instructors

What is bullying?

Bullying is a wide range of unacceptable behaviors that are intended to hurt, intimidate, frighten, harm, humiliate, undermine or exclude an individual or group of individuals. Bullying is intentional and repeated over time, and is difficult for the sufferer to defend him or her against the words or actions.

Anybody can be bullied 

Individuals are bullied because of how they look or where they are from, what they believe, what they have or don’t have, what they can or can’t do. Bullies find vulnerabilities. It is not always about someone stronger, more powerful, older, or in a different hierarchical group level. Bullying is acting against someone else when vulnerability is identified. 

Bullying is different from an argument or a fight. It is repeated, systematic and deliberate. It can impact on learning and attendance and most importantly on self-esteem and confidence. It can give the message that force and intimidation are the way to get what you want and become a pattern for future behavior and relationships.

It can take a range of forms:

• Physical

• Verbal

• Emotional - being excluded from games with friends etc

• Damage to property or theft

• Intimidation through gesture and threat, both verbal and non-verbal

• Cyber –through technologies – mobile phones, email and social networks

• Exclusion or non-communication

Bullying concerns all of us, not just those who are bullying and those being bullied: it also affects less assertive individuals who may be drawn in, and those who witness bullying and feel unable to do anything. Bullying can happen in secret and an individual being bullied can feel helpless and unable to communicate the issues.

At Dragon Fighting Systems and Champions Judo, we take bullying very seriously as an an organization, across our entire community, and will not tolerate bullying in any form.

We follow up all concerns expressed by individuals, staff or parents. We make sure that we follow up and discuss the results of any issues reported. 

Sometimes what is seen as bullying is simply unacceptable behavior and we address this differently

We always encourage individuals to report suspected issues of bullying; making it clear that we take action when we know.

We act proactively to educate about relationships and how to resolve conflict:

• Using class time to discuss with appropriate individuals

• Making it an organization focus when appropriate

• Addressing the issues through the martial arts curriculum

• Supervising class time positively

• Encouraging individuals to talk, with a commitment to listening and

responding to what we are told. 

• Through statements like these, we make it clear what you should do if you are being bullied and consequences of bullying behavior

If we suspect bullying:

• We speak to the individuals being bullied, the individual suspected of bullying behavior, and any witnesses who may have information to contribute. 

• Discipline and support those involved in line with our organization behavior policy

• Involve parents

• Involve the police if necessary

We do not assume that patterns of bullying behavior are fixed, and try to avoid language like “bully” or “victim” that label individuals rather than behavior.