Thread by @DrPetra

This #AntiBullyingWeek let’s talk about bullying in academia. We know it happens. Many of us have witnessed it or been targeted directly. Here’s a thread I’ll add to with things you may not know. Feel free to join in and ask for or offer help
#AcademicTwitter #AcademicChatter

When I started researching academic bullying I assumed most victims would be young and junior in universities and bullies would be older and senior. While this can be the case it’s possible for anyone working or studying in academia to be a victim or a bully. #AntiBullyingWeek

For example, many people in senior roles are bullied in academia but they may struggle to be given support, are often blamed or shamed for “allowing” abuse to happen, and may feel trapped by their career status, opportunities and personal responsibilities. #AntiBullyingWeek

Students also bully one another which can come as a horrible shock to those who assumed this ended in the playground (worse if it happened to you there as well). Students can also bully staff, particularly cleaners, admin or those on temporary contracts. #AntiBullyingWeek

Bullies that are senior academics are often well known in their uni and whisper networks that exist outside. But their status and value to the organisation makes them hard to challenge and they may threaten anyone who attempts to do so #AntiBullyingWeek

The impact of academic bullying varies but can include victims feeling uncertain,afraid, under-confident, angry or tearful. It can affect your eating and sleeping habits and mess up your concentration. Victims may feel hopeless or useless and make more mistakes. #AntiBullyingWeek

Victims of academic bullying may become withdrawn or sad, they might overwork or try to placate their abuser in other ways. It might lead to tensions in friendships or relationships. Some use alcohol or drugs to cope. #AntiBullyingWeek

It may not be deliberate but it’s extremely effective for bullies if their victims appear chaotic or unreliable. It can be used to undermine any complaints against the bully and also mean others lack sympathy for victims, even siding with the bully. #AntiBullyingWeek

Unsurprisingly if you’re a victim of bullying in academia you can feel very alone, confused and scared. And if you’re already minoritised (which many victims are) this can feel even more acute. You may struggle to know who to trust. #AntiBullyingWeek

If you’re concerned about bullying in academia there is more information and support resources here #AntiBullyingWeek
theresearchcompanion.com/bullying

Something that may interest or infuriate you to know is that while I’ve researched and published on a range of sensitive topics it is the work I’ve done on academic bullying that has drawn the most ire and efforts to discredit or dismiss. Telling, no? #AntiBullyingWeek

I’m often asked if there are particular subject areas that seem worse for bullying and while bullying happens in all disciplines psychology, medicine, STEM and somewhat bafflingly HR are the fields where there are the most reports raised (in research) #AntiBullyingWeek

I’m also asked whether academia is really that bad, compared with other professions. And the answer is yes it is - and no profession should have an inherent bullying problem. Also people struggle more in academic spaces as they assume it couldn’t happen here. #AntiBullyingWeek

There are many reasons for bullying (but no excuses) - control, prejudice, pressure are common. People perpetuate what they experience - the “I suffered so you should too”. And an inadequately trained and unsupported workforce = recipe for disaster #AntiBullyingWeek

Why did I study bullying in academia? I was teaching researchers how to stay safe during fieldwork but at every session someone would say the risk they faced was in their uni. Also I witnessed bullying during my PhD and experienced it directly on two projects #AntiBullyingWeek

When someone’s being bullied they may not get help from other people because
- they’re part of the abuse
- they aren’t aware how serious it is
- it’s the workplace ‘normal’
- they’re afraid of being targeted too or losing their job
- they’ve got other problems #AntiBullyingWeek

It can be frustrating, distressing and risky to be a victim of bullying and not have support. It can be hard to understand why others don’t help. And whatever their reasons, their inaction aids bullies. Victims can become isolated and resentful, understandably #AntiBullyingWeek

What can you do if you’re being bullied? There’s some resources linked upthread that can help and you can also
- join a union
- gather evidence (paper trails and other records)
- identify witnesses
- talk to friends
- take legal advice
- speak to your doctor
#AntiBullyingWeek

Academia makes you feel you can’t do any other job if you don’t work there, that nobody else will accept you, or that quitting your course or job is for losers. That’s rubbish. You always have other options and rights. Make an escape plan. #AntiBullyingWeek

Remember the longer bullying lasts the harder it is to focus,have confidence,or make strategic decisions. Ask others to help and have a comforting space to retreat and recuperate. Any abusive relationship is hard to leave because abusers don’t want you to escape #AntiBullyingWeek

As bullying is rife in academia you may encounter it in more than one place. This may be terrifying if you’re victimised again or leave you feeling guilty if you’re too scared to support others being targeted. You may believe the common factor is you, it isn’t #AntiBullyingWeek

It’s not unusual for bullying to have an impact for years after it ends. It can affect your work, relationships and health. Some people are diagnosed with PTSD as a consequence. You may be so keen to get away you don’t realise or aren’t told you still need care #AntiBullyingWeek

If you witness someone bullying what can you do?
- check their victims are okay, reassure and encourage them to seek help
- encourage others to also support victims, you’re #StrongerTogether
- be a witness, report what you observe
- speak out against bullying #AntiBullyingWeek

You will need to judge the best way to support the victim so you don’t make them more unsafe. Learning about ways to be an #ActiveBystander and how victims respond allows you to reduce stress on victims while holding bullies to account. #AntiBullyingWeek

It’s easier to address bullying if your department/uni has good working conditions, fair pay, zero tolerance for bullying, training and supervision, clear pathways for reporting and resolving issues. Bullying is insidious and needs clear strategies to prevent it #AntiBullyingWeek

What most unis do is this
- no joined up approaches
- occasional laments that bullying is awful
- leave bullies in post
- ignore evidence on what works (see tweet above)
- leave it to individuals to fix and blame them if they succeed or more often when they fail #AntiBullyingWeek

We get upset when individuals in our departments don’t do anything to help us as victims and that is understandable but our frustration needs to be directed to the institutional level where change and action is most necessary #AntiBullyingWeek

There’s decades of data on the prevalence and impact of bullying in academia alongside countless personal testimonies and tragic losses. Universities know this. So the question is why do they refuse to act? They could, but they don’t. Keep asking why, publicly. #AntiBullyingWeek

Unis would like this to go away and bullying to be dealt with quietly (this is why most cases that are dealt with happen in private and with pay offs). If it’s addressed publicly at an institutional level - what they allow on their watch - it’s harder to hide #AntiBullyingWeek

Our anti-bullying focus in unis currently is expecting already stressed and overworked students and staff to be unpaid and untrained conflict negotiators, often dealing with abusers who’ve been institutionally enabled for years and who’re frankly dangerous. #AntiBullyingWeek

Have you noticed that if bullying is talked about it’s suggestions of staff/students being active bystanders or things individuals must do to protect themselves or others but little on collective organising to hold institutions and funding bodies accountable #AntiBullyingWeek

There are claims from some funders that bullying will be eradicated in academia in the coming years. A noble and important goal. But it will mean nothing if major changes in all areas of academia don’t happen. #AntiBullyingWeek

It’s very easy for unis to downplay the problem of bullying - and funding bodies to ignore the enabling role they’ve played. Or that funding bodies themselves have problems with institutional bullying. Some professional organisations are led by known bullies #AntiBullyingWeek

It is impossible to trust any change will happen. Especially if you’re currently a victim or a survivor of bullying, when you see bullies (perhaps even *your* bully) promoted and fêted. It’s a really powerful message being sent about who thrives in academia #AntiBullyingWeek

A known bully in a uni I worked in
- bullied staff there
- bullied on external projects
- destroyed other people’s careers, especially their rivals
- scuppered an entire degree programme
- won many awards
- was the figurehead of two professional organisations #AntiBullyingWeek

That’s just one case, there are thousands. You’ll know of them too. And this is why victims become so desperate or give up. It isn’t just because they fear a bully will make good on their threats, they can see that bullies currently do better than victims. #AntiBullyingWeek

I know talking about all this, while true, is really distressing if you’re currently a victim or fighting bullying. If that’s you there are resources to help you up thread. Save those and mute this if you need to. Keep yourself safe #AntiBullyingWeek

Bullying thrives in unis because they’re built on toxic practices - competition,self-sacrifice,suffering. It normalises abusive behaviour that’s intrinsic to the system. Bullies act on what is already there. That’s why it’s also hard to identify and fight abuse #AntiBullyingWeek