Bully backlash: Guidance counsellor says aggressor needs help too

The incoming president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Counsellors' and Psychologists' Association says the person who made the now infamous 'ugliest girls' poll needs help too.

The poll had people across the country sympathizing with Lynelle Cantwell and the other Holy Trinity High School students who were victimized by the online list.

"It's easy to jump on the bandwagon and say they're simply mean or they're nasty people and there's no point and they should just be punished," Boyd Perry told CBC Radio's St. John's Morning Show.

These behaviours don't come out of the blue.- Boyd Perry

"Unfortunately, if we just leave it at that we're just going to see repeated behaviour."

Perry is also an English School District guidance counsellor, who works at Holy Heart of Mary High in St. John's.

School board policy

He says it's the school board's policy to ensure both partiesthe bullyand the bulliedreceive the same type of assistance.

"These behaviours don't come out of the blue," Perry said.

He believes if aggressors are given the opportunity to talk it out, there's a better chance they'll correct cruelactions in the future.

"The person who is engaged in this type of behaviour they're, you know, they're not there by accident. They too need the same types of supports and guidance that the person that's going through this will require."