Mothers Are Right: Eat Your Vegetables And Keep Away From The Girls (Boys): Bullying Victimization Profile in the Caribbean

About 29 percent of teenagers are bullied at school in the Caribbean. Victims of bullying are more lonely, sleep less, and have fewer friends than do their nonbullied peers. Although victims of bullying eat more frequently at fast food restaurants, they also experience more periods of hunger than do nonbullied children. Acting out with the goal of being considered a "cool" teenager does not work; even if adolescents frequently smoke cigarettes, bullies may still intimidate and harass them. The opposite is true for virgins. Good parenting can, however, make a difference in preventing a child from being a victim of bullying. Growing international evidence has shown that school-based programs can reduce the prevalence of bullying and that bullying has long-term negative consequences into adult life (for both bullies and victims).