CARIMAC Times 2016: The JREAM Edition Journalists Reviving Awareness of what Matters | Page 20

are derived from expected roles and norms
attached to males and females in a given culture.
Back in 2009, a study done in part by Angela
Gordon-Stair, senior counsellor and head of the
Counselling Unit at the UWI, Mona, utilising a
population of 225 Jamaican university students,
found that both peers and educators are equally
likely to bully. The students recounted their
experiences with bullying at the primary and
secondary levels.
Dr. Marshall concurred with this finding and
further explained that teachers indirectly bullied
students when they did not treat with the issue
in the same way they responded to other issues.

“There have been instances where students are
told this is bad behaviour and that’s it. Students
[perceived to be homosexual] have felt isolated
by lecturers. The fact that they [lecturers] allow
homophobic discussions in itself can be seen
as a form of bullying. Because a lecturer should
be able to say, [No! Stop!] in the same way other
discussions shouldn’t be allowed — blatantly
sexist comments for instance.”
She stated that educators are charged with
safeguarding the best interest of their students.
“Lecturers have a responsibility to make sure
that the classroom is a safe space. Very often
what happens is that students feel that they can

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