What is Bullying?

Bullying is not always easy to define. A child may encounter bullying attacks that are:

• Physical. Pushing, kicking, hitting, pinching and other forms of violence or threats.
• Verbal. Name-calling, sarcasm, spreading rumors, persistent teasing.
• Emotional. Excluding (sending to Coventry), tormenting, ridicule, humiliation.

Of course, a bully will often rely on a mix of these techniques, and include other children in the bullying, either as witnesses or active participants. Repeated attacks may escalate in intensity.

Emotional bullying, like ridicule and exclusion, seems to be more common than physical violence and, judging by what young people tell us, it can also be the most difficult type of bullying to cope with or prove. New methods have also followed this old problem—texting, cruel photos from a mobile, emails and web-based attacks are increasingly prevalent - this is cyberbullying.

Children who bully may seem to focus on one presumed characteristic of a child. However, do remember that a child’s alleged “difference” is not really the point of the bullying—bullies are playing with power any way they can. Children who are bright are often bullied, as are children with learning differences; tall children are bullied, as are small ones. Anything goes, but in our experience, bullying is often:

• Racist. Racial taunts, graffiti, gestures. More information...
• Sexual. Unwanted physical contact or abusive comments.
• Homophobic. Any hostile or offensive action against lesbians, gay males or bisexuals or those perceived to be lesbian, gay or bisexual. More information...
• Abuse of the vulnerable. For example, children with physical disabilities, on the autism spectrum, or with special educational needs.  We also see bullying in children who are carers, children who have suffered a death in the family.

Persistent bullying can result in

• Depression
• Low self-esteem
• Shyness
• Poor academic achievement
• Isolation
• Threatened or attempted suicide

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