The following is a model procedure to implement the MVN Dive Team rule prohibiting bullying. This plan must be reviewed and agreed to by all athletes, parents, coaches and other adults at the club. Any time reports of bullying are made, the club is expected to implement these procedures.
Bullying of any kind is unacceptable at MVN Dive and will not be tolerated. Bullying is counterproductive to team spirit and can be devastating to a victim. The Club is committed to providing a safe, caring and friendly environment for all of our members. If bullying does occur, all athletes and parents should know that incidents will be dealt with promptly, and effectively. Anyone who knows that bullying is happening is expected to tell a coach, board member or athlete/mentor.
Objectives of the Club’s Bullying Policy and Action Plan:
MVN Diving Code of Conduct prohibits bullying. Generally bullying is intentional behavior that hurts, harms, or humiliates a member, either physically or emotionally. Those targeted have difficulty stopping the behavior and generally will not report it for fear of retaliation. Bullying is also the use of aggression, whether intentional or not, which hurts another person and results in pain or distress. Bullying is the severe or repeated use by one or more MVN Dive members of oral, written, electronic or other technological expression, image, sound, data or intelligence of any nature (regardless of the method of transmission), or a physical act or gesture, or any combination thereof, directed at any other member that to a reasonably objective person has a harmful effect:
Causing physical or emotional harm to the other member or damage to the other person’s property; (ie: taking hair ties, taking sunscreen or food without permission, taking a person’s turn on the mats or at practice, cutting in line)
Placing the other member in reasonable fear of harm to himself/herself or of damage to his or her property;
Creating a hostile environment for the other member at any MVN Dive activity;
Infringing on the rights of the other member at any MVN Dive activity, event;
Materially or substantially disrupting the training process or the orderly operation of any MVN Dive activity (which shall include but is not limited to practices, workouts and other events of MVN Dive, whether official or unofficial in nature).
Sometimes bullying can be sinister in nature, not obvious to coaches or others but causes harm to the recipient. Usually the offending bully takes special care not to be obvious in the harm caused. The bullying is not physical in nature.
This is any bullying that is done with the intent to hurt somebody’s reputation or social standing. Social bullying often happens between friends. It can happen in two ways: either by trying to exclude somebody, or encouraging others to ignore, chastise or threaten a friend. This bullying is most common among girls but is not limited to girls and the main weapon a bully uses is to harm or manipulate relationships.
This is any bullying that is done by speaking. Calling names, spreading rumors, threatening somebody, and making fun of others are all forms or verbal bullying. Verbal bullying is one of the most common types of bullying and the main weapon the bully uses is their voice.
This is any bullying that happens over any technological device. This includes email, instant messaging, social networking/media sites such as Facebook/Instagram, text messages and cell phones. The bully knows that some forms of communication and bullying such as Instagram/Snapchat includes group chat forums that disappear after a period of time so there is no trace of the bullying. Some bullies use social media to rally others against the victim by spreading rumors or creating an isolating incident for the victim. This is one of the newest ways a bully will hurt their victim and can be devastating and sinister in nature. It can be used to isolate and alienate its victim.
A bystander may or may not be a friend of the target, but he or she is aware that the bullying is happening. Bystanders can be silent bullies if they do not try to get help for the victim. We all have a responsibility to step up for our teammates and do the right thing. Watching someone suffer in silence is cowardly and not a character quality to be proud of in a teammate.
Power can be defined in many ways (ie older, stronger, smarter, more friends in a given situation). Everyone needs power and control in their lives. However, people engaging in bullying behaviors use their power in unhealthy ways to manipulate and hurt others.
Peer Pressure occurs when a peer group or individual encourages others to change their attitudes, values, or behaviors to conform to those of the influencing group or individual. Peer pressure can impact and result in bullying when the behavior encourages others to laugh at someone or determine someone is not worthy to be part of the group. Individuals are intimidated to speak out on behalf of themselves or of someone being hurt.
Bullies have a talent for ferreting out your emotional Achilles Heel and hobbling you with it. They determine your weaknesses and use them against you. Their goal is to make you doubt yourself so you are vulnerable to their attempts to intimidate you.
The bully plays the long suffering individual who is unappreciated and lays on the guilt if the victim wants to be with other friends or do other activities not including the bully. Emotionally healthy friends are supportive of their friends and understand it’s OK to have other relationships and be with other friends.
The bully comes on strong and wants or has to be with you constantly or shows a dangerous need to have you all to him or herself. Possessiveness is defined as a desire to own or dominate. Bullies often don’t have many or other friends of their own which means they grow to resent your other relationships. Bullies are so insecure that they see everyone you spend time with as competition and as a threat to their dominance.
Understanding the Bully:
Trying to reason with a bully will not work. If you have tried to discuss this by being logical or fair chances are you have gotten nowhere. Bullies don’t respond to reason. They want what they want and will do anything to anyone to get their way. Kindness will be perceived as weakness, however, don’t sacrifice your integrity by becoming a bully yourself. Likely you have suffered in silence waiting for the bully to come to their senses and apologize for their behavior. This is never going to happen….actually just the opposite. The bully regularly accuses the victims of bullying them and it further victimizes the victim.
STOP THE BULLYING NOW:
YOU must change the way you respond to the bully or he/she will continue to take advantage of your good nature and look for opportunities to hurt you. Be a good friend and watch for this type of behavior around you. We all have a responsibility to stop the BULLY and keep the team free of this type of damaging behavior. We are here as competitors but more importantly as teammates. We support and help each other and will not tolerate hurtful damaging behavior from divers, coaches or parents.
Procedure:
Our team is an affiliate of USA Diving, Inc., the national governing body of springboard and platform diving in the United States. USA Diving is a successor to the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) and is an independent non-profit corporation formed to promote and improve diving in the United States.
