About Bullying
Types of Bullying
There are many types of bullying:
- Verbal bullying
- Verbal bullying is harming someone with your words.
- This includes:
- Name calling, offensive remarks, making fun of someone' religion, gender, ethnicity, social status, or sexuality.
- Inappropriate sexual comments
- This also is threatening someone with violence.
- Around 45% of bullying in schools is verbal.
- Physical bullying
- Physical bullying is physically harming someone or their possessions.
- This includes any physical contact that can hurt someone such as:
- Kicking, punching, hitting, etc.
- Taking something that belongs to someone else is also considered bullying.
- In Elementary and Middle schools, about 30% of all bullying is physical.
- Social bullying
- Social bullying is harming someone's social status or relationships.
- Or pointing out their differences
- Social bullying is harming someone's social status or relationships.
-
- Also known as alienation
- Excluding someone from a group
- Also known as alienation
- Cyberbullying
- Cyberbullying is sending a message, picture, or information using electronic media (cell phones, computers, etc.)
- Sending abusive messages
- Pornography, or "sexting" (sending unflattering or naked pictures)
- Posting inappropriate statuses or statuses made to hurt someone
- Making or assuming a fake identity on a social network and using it to cause harm to another person, or make them believe something else.
- Attacking players in online gaming repeatedly and without reason.
- Cyberbullying is sending a message, picture, or information using electronic media (cell phones, computers, etc.)
How to Stop It
Stopping a bully can be as simple as standing up for yourself! If you stand up to a bully, they may leave you alone!
If that doesn't work, SPEAK OUT!
- Tell a parent, teacher, principle, or other trusted adult! Don't let this keep going on.. Get help!
- Assess the situation and get familiar with what bullying actually is.
- If you're being cyber bullied:
- DO NOT respond to the messages or forward them.
- Keep the evidence and report it to the web/cell phone service provider
- Block the person immediately!
- It is a crime, and should be reported to the authorities if it includes:
- Threats of violence
- Child pornography or sexual content
- A video/picture of someone in a private place
- Stalking or hate crimes
Effects of Bullying
Bullying can affect people in ways you might not suspect.
In fact, kids who are bullied are more likely to experience:
- Depression and anxiety
- Feelings of sadness and loneliness
- Change in sleeping and eating patterns
- Loss of interest in activities they previously enjoyed
- Health problems
- Decrease in academic achievements
Some students have been known to react in extremely violent measures.
Bystander's Role
How are you a bystander?
- If you purposely ignore the event altogether
- If you witness the event and:
- Choose to do nothing
- Think: "At least it wasn't me!"
What's wrong with that?
By you being there and doing nothing, the bullies feel a stronger desire to entertain the audience and embarrass the victim even more. Bystanders usually feel guilt afterward.
What should you do?
Step in and speak up! Even if it's not your conflict, put yourself in their shoes. How would you feel? Say something to the bully, stand up for the victim, or call for an adult!
To learn more about bullying, check out some of our helpful links!