(Montreal) The expulsion of three candidates from reality TV Double occupation for reasons of intimidation has caused ink to flow in the media this week, in the process initiating a renewed social conversation on this issue.
Posted at 5:38 p.m.
This is the first time in the history of the show that several participants have been shown the door for such a reason. The decision caused a stir among his audience, who quickly rallied behind the intimidated candidates.
The three excluded, aged between 24 and 27, reacted with their relentless desire to exclude members of their group, a behavior often associated with a younger age group.
Bullying among young people is a problem that has been the subject of numerous studies and documentation in Quebec. However, its equivalent in the adult population remains an issue relatively little addressed in the public space.
This kind of behavior can be expressed in various contexts, particularly within a romantic relationship, in the workplace or even online.
According to the definition of the National Institute of Public Health of Quebec (INSPQ), bullying is a type of interpersonal violence that is characterized by “unequal power relations between the perpetrator and the victim”, as well as repetition of deliberate actions intended to harm or cause harm.
If the phenomenon of bullying is often associated with young people of elementary or secondary age, it is primarily because it has long been studied from this angle by research groups. According to data from the 2017 Quebec Health Survey of High School Youth, 32% of students aged 13 to 17 had been bullied at least once at school or on the road. from school.
In the eyes of Stéphanie Boutin, professor in the psychology department at the University of Quebec in Montreal, this vision of bullying is therefore anchored in the collective imagination.
“Young people will intimidate or harass especially for questions of social positioning. They wanna be more popular, they wanna be more cool; it’s really issues of hierarchy. We say to ourselves that in adulthood, we no longer necessarily have these needs, ”she said in an interview.
However, the issues of bullying among those over 18 are very real, and often come from a reproduction of models learned during childhood and adolescence.
“Among adults, we are not going to see the classic forms of bullying or physical violence as we can see among the little ones, but intimidation of a relational and social nature is still very present, unfortunately,” she said. precise.
For Claire Beaumont, professor of special education at Université Laval and holder of the Research Chair in Safety and Violence in Educational Environments, this desire to belittle others often stems from an intrinsic emotional lack.
“There are needs that are hidden, and you have to see the needs that are hidden behind this behavior. We need to be recognized, we need to enhance ourselves, we need self-esteem. […] There is always an unmet need that will drive human behavior,” she told The Canadian Press.
Although they are aware of their actions, bullies sometimes do not realize the impact of their actions due to a trivialization of verbal or emotional violence.
Adults are aware of the impacts of a punch, but words often have no direct consequences — at least, in the short term. […] Often, it is as if one diminishes the violence of the character of a social or relational intimidation.
Stéphanie Boutin, professor of psychology
To date, there are no resources dedicated to this specific clientele. The change must rather come from a desire for personal progress, for example with a psychologist, which can be tricky for some.
“There is going to be a whole process to go through, first of all, accepting that it happened, and then putting words to say ‘yes, I did that’. Acknowledging it was assault or intimidation is the first step, and it’s not an easy step to take,” said Ms.me Butin.
To shed light on this problem, in February 2021 the government launched the Concerted Action Plan to Prevent and Counter Bullying and Cyberbullying 2020-2025, which includes 26 measures aimed at stepping up government action in the fight against bullying. This plan does not focus solely on the school environment and is therefore intended for everyone, regardless of age.
“The more we judge that it is socially unacceptable, the more concrete actions will be taken. I have the impression that the next generations have been much more aware of this problem, that a cultural change is starting to take place and that we are starting to see results,” concluded Ms.me Butin.
This article was produced with the financial support of the Meta Fellowships and The Canadian Press for News.