My study revealed that girls' aggression at this single-sex school is indeed a major problem. It was clearly indicated that the main obstacle preventing victims from asking for adult intervention to incidents of aggression, is the fear of retaliation by the aggressors. In the suicide note to her parents, Dawn-Marie Wesley (Bright, 2005) wrote:
If I try to get help it will get worse. If I ratted they would get suspended and there would be no stopping them. (p. 98)
The girls interviewed were concerned about all learners as well as educators and the impact that girls' violence was having on all role players at school. Throughout the interview process, participants expressed the need for intervention. When asked to make comments, participants expressed their disappointment at the attitudes of girls at this school. They were adamant that nothing was being done about this problem.
Some girls offered interesting recommendations to curb the aggressiveness of girls.
One victim suggested the installation of hidden close-circuit cameras inside classrooms, so that it would not be so easy for perpetrators to deny their engagement in acts of aggression. Another suggested that aggressive girls needed to get help so that they could understand how to conduct themselves appropriately and to learn how to resolve conflicts without resorting to aggression. Both recommendations focus on
the aggressors rather than the victims, with the intention of one being the identification and suggested punishment of the aggressors, while the other recommended helping the aggressors. The recommendations that follow show that it is imperative that punishment should not be meted out in isolation, but that the aggressors also need help to curb their aggression and to deal with life more appropriately. Equally important is helping the victims to be more assertive.
Even though this study focused on the forms of girls' aggression as heard through the voices of victims, when considering intervention, it is crucial to include the aggressors as well. Just as an alcoholic needs help and support in breaking away form self- destructive habits, so too do aggressive girls (and boys) need support in their efforts to control their aggression and to replace angry and negative feelings with constructive and positive ones. Aggressors must be held accountable for their actions. However, much research is still needed to assess what makes girls aggressive as, often, aggressive children come from aggressive homes and use the only methods they know -yelling, hitting and intimidation- to take out their frustrations on their victims.
It is important to understand that not all intervention strategies will work equally well in every school with the problem of girls' aggression. However, it is of utmost importance that partnerships are built between school personnel and parents to help both victims and aggressors. When victims report aggressive acts to school personnel, it should be acted upon responsibly, by investigating the problems that exist and holding perpetrators accountable. Furthermore, effective policies should be put in place and enforced whenever aggressive incidents occur or are reported. Roberts (2006) explains that the best of teachers, in ignoring the impact of harassment and the
resultant poisoning of the entire atmosphere of the school environment, are showing disrespect towards students. He recommends a four-point strategy for intervention, claiming that it has proven to work successfully in curbing aggressiveness at his own school. He makes further claims that by using the following strategy, different school personnel and different schools have met with varying degrees of success.
1. Survey the student body to establish the frequency and dynamics of aggressive behaviour within the school. This is an important step in assessing the prevalence of aggressiveness within the school environment.
2. Safeguard the victim. Victims are often afraid of retaliation. These victims should be offered protection through the implementation of disciplinary measures to hold aggressors accountable. The victim may even have to be physically separated from the perpetrators. Parents may need to be informed and included in resolving the situation.
3. Listen empathetically to the story the victims tell. Listening to the victims entails active listening, with careful consideration of all the details. Nothing should be ignored or overlooked. The victim should get the assurance that proper action would be instituted against the perpetrators, to prevent further episodes. This needs to be done in an atmosphere of caring and support.
4. Listen to the story the aggressor tells. The aggressor should also be listened to, in order to gain an understanding of the possible causes of her aggressiveness and to understand her rationale and logic. Teaching aggressive girls about
boundaries, accountability, anger management and alternative strategies to aggression, will go a long way to reducing incidents of aggression.
5. Girls' violence within the context of a single-sex high school setting must be addressed as a specific and serious problem. Concerted efforts should be made by school authorities, educators and parents, to bridge the gaps between the various race and social class groups, by raising awareness of human rights issues and the need to respect the rights of all. This should be implemented on a continuous basis, within school, at home and in society at large.
These strategies may work well at some schools and may not work at others. It is up to the school authorities and parents to adapt strategies that will best work within their particular setting.