what is bullying
Bullying can be both emotional and physical, often
the behaviour is deliberately and persistently directed
against a particular target group or individual child.
Though these incidents alone can seem insignificant the repeated
harassment and intimidation of a child can cause serious harm and
distress. Often a victim of bullying will feel scared, frightened
and upset, defenceless and extremely lonely and isolated. This
sense of isolation can in some extreme cases lead to severe and
even fatal self-harm.
Bullying needs to be taken very seriously because no one deserves
to be bullied.
Listed below are some of the methods that bullies use to
intimidate:
- Verbal. Name-calling, sarcasm, spreading rumours, persistent
teasing.
- Emotional. Excluding (sending to Coventry), tormenting, ridicule,
humiliation.
- Physical. Kicking, Hitting, pinching, biting, pushing and other
forms of violence or threats and intimidation.
- Racist. Racial taunts, graffiti, gestures.
- Sexual. Unwanted physical contact or abusive comments.
- Homophobic . Hostile or offensive action against lesbians, gay
males or bisexuals or those perceived to be lesbian, gay or
bisexual.
Even more worrying is that not only are these methods of bullying
used face to face but they can be inflicted through the use of
modern technology such as mobile phones and email, commonly known
as cyber-bullying.
Though emotional bullying and persistent tormenting seem to be more
common than physical intimidation it can often be far more
difficult to prove and ultimately live with.
This type of relentless bullying can result in:
- Shyness
- Low self-esteem
- Depression
- Poor academic achievement
- Isolation
- Threatened or attempted suicide
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