The concept of bullying goes back all the way to the days of the one room school house. For a long time, bullying has been seen as a “rite of passage” or “character building.” Today, medical professionals, educators and parents know that bullying is much more serious than that and can lead to more severe long term problems for individuals and communities.
Bullying is generally considered an imbalance of power where one person is using that power to intentionally cause harm to another individual. These actions are done repeatedly over time.
Bullying can take on many forms:
- Verbal – verbal bullying can be in the form of insults, name calling or teasing.
- Physical – punching, kicking, pushing or shoving are examples of physical bullying.
- Psychological – includes spreading rumors, threatening to bully people who befriend the victim, social intimidation or isolation.
- Cyberbullying – using the internet, text messaging, email or other digital forms to bully someone.
- Sexual – unwanted joke or comments about sexual body parts or orientation. Inappropriate touching.
Being bullied can affect a person in many different ways. If you have been bullied, know that it is not your fault! You do not deserve to be treated that way. There are resources available and people who are willing to help!
