What is bullying?

Bullying is a pattern of aggressive and unwanted teasing, exclusion, or sometimes even physical contact.  It is most commonly seen in school-aged children and includes a person (the one doing the bullying) exerting his or her control over a person who is weaker (the person being bullied).  

What types of bullying are there?

According to stopbullying.gov, there are three kinds of bullying.  Verbal bullying includes saying or writing mean things, such as teasing or threatening to harm someone. Social bullying involves harming someone’s reputation or relationship with others by spreading rumors about them or embarrassing them publicly. And the third type of bullying is physical bullying which involves hurting a person’s body or their possessions.  Each of these types of bullying can affect the way a child interacts with others and how the child feels about him or herself. 

What is cyberbullying?

Bullying doesn’t always have to happen in person. Cyberbullying, the act of bullying someone online, often through social media, can be just as hurtful. Cyberbullying is becoming more common, as more and more kids have access to the internet. 

Who is at risk for bullying?

Bullying can happen to just about anyone, but there are some things that make a person more likely to be bullied such as if the person is considered by others to be different, lacking confidence, or is less popular.  Additionally, there are a few groups of youth that are more at risk.  Lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) youth have an increased risk of being bullied as do youth with disabilities or other health issues.  It’s important to watch for signs of bullying in those who are most at risk of being bullied and to be supportive of all people’s differences.  

How can bullying be stopped?

The biggest thing that anyone can do to stop bullying is to not stand by and let it happen.  Research shows that people who bully others are more likely to continue doing it if there is a crowd of people watching.  If you see bullying taking place or if you are being bullied, tell an adult right away.