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What Is Bullying - Follow the Links
Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school-aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. This behavior is not only repeated but has the potential to be repeated over time, which can lead to serious, lasting problems for both kids who are bullied and those who bully others. To effectively address bullying prevention, it’s important to recognize the key characteristics of this behavior:
An Imbalance of Power: Kids who bully often leverage their power, whether through physical strength, access to embarrassing information, or popularity, to control or harm others. These power dynamics can shift over time and in different situations, even involving the same individuals.
Repetition: Bullying behaviors occur more than once or have the potential to be repeated.
Bullying encompasses various actions including making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and purposefully excluding someone from a group.
Types of Bullying
Where and When Bullying Happens
Frequency of Bullying
Types of Bullying
There are three primary types of bullying:
1. Verbal bullying involves saying or writing mean things and includes:
- Teasing
- Name-calling
- Inappropriate sexual comments
- Taunting
- Threatening to cause harm
2. Social bullying, also known as relational bullying, involves damaging someone’s reputation or relationships. It includes actions such as:
- Purposely leaving someone out
- Telling others to avoid someone
- Spreading rumors
- Embarrassing someone in public
3. Physical bullying consists of harming a person's body or possessions, including:
- Hitting, kicking, or pinching
- Spitting
- Tripping or pushing
- Taking or breaking someone’s belongings
- Making mean or rude hand gestures
Where and When Bullying Happens
Bullying can occur at any time, during or after school. Most reports of bullying happen within school premises, but a significant percentage also occurs in locations like playgrounds or school buses. It can even take place while traveling to or from school, in neighborhoods, or online, highlighting the importance of bullying prevention across all environments.
Frequency of Bullying
Two sources provide federally collected data on youth bullying:
- The 2019 School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey indicates that approximately 22% of students aged 12–18 experienced bullying nationwide.
- The 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System reports that 15.0% of students in grades 9–12 reported being bullied on school property within the previous 12 months.
See also "Frequency of Cyberbullying."
Date Last Reviewed: August 1, 2023
Cape Coral Karate offers a safe environment for all kids and focuses on bullying prevention through self-confidence building. You don't have to feel helpless when facing bullying; contact us for a private consultation with 8-degree black belt Kyoshi Ron Joslin at 239-314-6165 to learn how karate for kids can help.
Warning Signs for Bullying
Many warning signs may indicate that someone is affected by bullying—either being bullied or bullying others. Recognizing the warning signs is an important first step in taking action against bullying. Not all children who are bullied or are bullying others ask for help.
It is important to talk with children who show signs of being bullied or bullying others. These warning signs can also point to other issues or problems, such as depression or substance abuse. Talking to the child can help identify the root of the problem.
Signs a Child Is Being Bullied
Look for changes in the child. However, be aware that not all children who are bullied exhibit warning signs.
Some signs that may point to a bullying problem are:
- Unexplainable injuries
- Lost or destroyed clothing, books, electronics, or jewelry
- Frequent headaches or stomach aches, feeling sick or faking illness
- Changes in eating habits, like suddenly skipping meals or binge eating. Kids may come home from school hungry because they did not eat lunch.
- Difficulty sleeping or frequent nightmares
- Declining grades, loss of interest in schoolwork, or not wanting to go to school
- Sudden loss of friends or avoidance of social situations
- Feelings of helplessness or decreased self esteem
- Self-destructive behaviors such as running away from home, harming themselves, or talking about suicide
If you know someone in serious distress or danger, don’t ignore the problem. Get help right away.
Signs a Child is Bullying Others
Kids may be bullying others if they:
- Get into physical or verbal fights
- Have friends who bully others
- Are increasingly aggressive
- Get sent to the principal’s office or to detention frequently
- Have unexplained extra money or new belongings
- Blame others for their problems
- Don’t accept responsibility for their actions
- Are competitive and worry about their reputation or popularity
Why don't kids ask for help?
Statistics from the 2018 Indicators of School Crime and Safety - PDF show that only 20% of school bullying incidents were reported. Kids don’t tell adults for many reasons:
- Bullying can make a child feel helpless. Kids may want to handle it on their own to feel in control again. They may fear being seen as weak or a tattletale.
- Kids may fear backlash from the kid who bullied them.
- Bullying can be a humiliating experience. Kids may not want adults to know what is being said about them, whether true or false. They may also fear that adults will judge them or punish them for being weak.
- Kids who are bullied may already feel socially isolated. They may feel like no one cares or could understand.
- Kids may fear being rejected by their peers. Friends can help protect kids from bullying, and kids can fear losing this support.
