Bullying isn’t limited to middle school students as one might think. With the recent high school shooting at Chardon High School in Ohio to the school bus harassment of the bus attendant, Karen Klein, there is no age limit to bullying.  Bullying should never be tolerated and fortunately over 30 states have implemented laws against bullying. But what can you do to prevent bullying from happening in the first place? Recognizing the typical traits of harassment is essential to nipping this major problem in the bud.

What Exactly is Bullying?

While it’s difficult to recognize the traits of bullying without fully knowing what bullying is, it’s important to know that it’s much more than playful teasing among friends. When a person or child is constantly exposed to negative acts, either verbal or physical, and have difficulty protecting themselves is the basic explanation of bullying. It consists of hostile behavior that involves unwanted and harmful actions which tends to be repeated over and over again. Bullying always involves an imbalance of domination and strength.

Recognizing the Types of Bullying

Verbal Bullying: Bullying often begins with rude, belittling comments and name-calling. It often continues with fault-finding and criticism focusing on a grain of truth which causes the victim to believe in its validity. This nit-picking is almost always distorted, untruthful, and performed in front of others. 

Rumors and Lies: This attempt at bullying is used to damage the victim’s reputation, self-worth, importance and potential.

Threats and Enforcement: Used to perform mean or embarrassing acts, threats are another form of humiliating the victim and usually done in front of witnesses.

Social Exclusion: Whether it’s forced by another student or colleague, being isolated and separated from whatever is going on is another form of bullying.  Often the victim is overruled, disregarded, or sidelined from participating in group events.

Physical Bullying: Physical bullying speaks for itself. The bully harasses the victim by shoving, punching, kicking, and spitting, for example.

Theft: Ranging from stealing the victim’s lunch money or MP3 player to taking credit for or plagiarizing the victim’s work are a couple of examples of this tactic that bullies use.

Destruction of Personal Property: From breaking a schoolmate’s eyeglasses to vandalizing a coworker’s car are more examples of bullying.

Cyber Bullying: Online harassment, whether through your email or on your Facebook page, are examples of cyber bullying.

Racial Bullying: Whether it’s about your skin color or your sexual preference, racial bullying usually begins with verbal abuse and can lead to physical attacks.

Sexual Harassment: Anything from crude sexual comments to rape is considered to be an extreme form of bullying.

What Can Be Done to Stop Bullying?

One of the most important things you can do to stop bullying is to not ignore it. It’s important to act quickly and help the victim by intervening immediately or finding help. If weapons are involved, serious bodily harm is being done, sexual abuse is evident, or if the harassment is hate-motivated, immediately call the police. 

By getting involved, you are sending a message to the bully that that behavior is not acceptable. The victim also learns that he/she is not alone and there are people who are there to support them which helps restore their faith in mankind. Your involvement could save someone’s emotional or physical well-being.

Cited Sources:

“Recognizing Bullying | Violence Prevention Works.” Recognizing Bullying | Violence Prevention Works. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 July 2012. <http://www.violencepreventionworks.org/public/recognizing_bullying.page>.

“Half the Population Are Bullied … Most People Only Realise It When They Read This PageWhat Is Bullying, How to Recognise Bullying.” Most People Only Realize They’re Being Bullied When They Read This Page;what Is Bullying, How to Recognise Bullies and Injury to Health. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 July 2012. <http://www.bullyonline.org/workbully/amibeing.htm>.

“Bullying Definition.” Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 July 2012. <http://www.stopbullying.gov/what-is-bullying/definition/index.html>.

“Stop Bullying on the Spot.” Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 July 2012. <http://www.stopbullying.gov/respond/on-the-spot/index.html>.