What Is Bullying

Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or
perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated,
over time. Both kids who are bullied and who bully others may have serious, lasting problems.

In order to be considered bullying, the behavior must be aggressive and include:

 An Imbalance of Power: Kids who bully use their power—such as physical strength,
access to embarrassing information, or popularity—to control or harm others. Power
imbalances can change over time and in different situations, even if they involve the
same people.
 Repetition: Bullying behaviors happen more than once or have the potential to happen
more than once.

Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone
physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose.

 Types of Bullying
 Where and When Bullying Happens
 Frequency of Bullying
Types of Bullying

There are three types of bullying:

 Verbal bullying is saying or writing mean things. Verbal bullying includes:

o Teasing
o Name-calling
o Inappropriate sexual comments
o Taunting
o Threatening to cause harm
 Social bullying, sometimes referred to as relational bullying, involves hurting
someone’s reputation or relationships. Social bullying includes:
o Leaving someone out on purpose
o Telling other children not to be friends with someone
o Spreading rumors about someone
o Embarrassing someone in public
 Physical bullying involves hurting a person’s body or possessions. Physical bullying
includes:
o Hitting/kicking/pinching
o Spitting
o Tripping/pushing
 o Taking or breaking someone’s things
o Making mean or rude hand gestures
Where and When Bullying Happens

Bullying can occur during or after school hours. While most reported bullying happens in the
school building, a significant percentage also happens in places like on the playground or the
bus. It can also happen travelling to or from school, in the youth’s neighborhood, or on the
Internet.

Frequency of Bullying

There are two sources of federally collected data on youth bullying:

 The 2017 School Crime Supplement (National Center for Education Statistics and
Bureau of Justice) indicates that, nationwide, about 20% of students ages 12-18
experienced bullying.
 The 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention) indicates that, nationwide, 19% of students in grades 9–12 report being
bullied on school property in the 12 months preceding the survey.

Types of bullying

(source: National Safe Schools Framework )

Face-to-face bullying (sometimes referred to as direct bullying) involves physical actions

such as punching or kicking or direct verbal actions such as name-calling and insulting.

Covert bullying (sometimes referred to as indirect bullying) is less direct, but just as painful.
It means bullying which isn’t easily seen by others and is conducted out of sight, such as
excluding people from groups or spreading lies or rumours. Because it is less obvious, it is
often unacknowledged by adults.

Cyberbullying occurs through the use of information or communication technologies such

Instant Messaging or chat, text messages, email and social networking sites or forums. It has
many similarities with offline bullying, but it can also be anonymous, it can reach a wide
audience, and sent or uploaded material can be difficult to remove. Most people who
cyberbully also bully off-line.

How can bullying affect you?

Bullying affects everyone in different ways. But there are common feelings that come up
when you are being bullied.

How bullying can affect individuals:

 Feeling guilty like it is your fault

 Feeling hopeless and stuck like you can’t get out of the situation
 Feeling alone, like there is no one to help you
 Feeling like you don’t fit in with the cool group
  Feeling depressed and rejected by your friends and other groups of people
 Feeling unsafe and afraid
 Feeling confused and stressed out wondering what to do and why this is happening to
you
 Feeling ashamed that this is happening to you

How bullying can affect other people:

Bullying can have a negative impact on everyone – it is not just a problem for victims and
bullies. If you see or know of others been bullied you may feel angry, fearful, guilty, and sad.

You may feel as bad as those who are being bullied.

You may also feel worried that the bullying could happen to you.

When bullying isn’t stopped or challenged by anyone it can create an environment where
bullying is accepted and where everyone feels powerless to stop it.

Know your rights

You have a right to feel safe and to be treated fairly and respectfully. Bullying is is a serious
problem with serious mental and physical impacts. Bullying can violate many of your human
rights including:

 your right to be free from mental, emotional and physical violence

 your right to education
 your right to a safe work environment

For more information about your rights go to Know your rights

Why do people bully others?

People bully for different reasons. Those who bully persistently are likely to do so in order to
dominate others and improve their social status. They may have high self esteem, show little
regret for their bullying behaviour and not see bullying as morally wrong.

Other people may bully out of anger or frustration, they may struggle socially and could have
also been victims of bullying.

What can you do to stop bullies?

 If you know or see someone who is being bullied, check out this fact sheet.
 If you are being bullied, you should talk to someone you know well and trust; they will
give you much needed support and will often have suggestions you hadn't considered
for helping with the situation.
 You might feel more comfortable taking a friend with you to talk to the bully or when
seeking help. If you feel you might get too nervous to speak, write down what you'd
like to say on paper or in an email.
  If you feel safe and confident, you should approach the person who is bullying you and
tell them that their behaviour is unwanted and not acceptable.
 If you are being bullied while at school, it is a good idea to seek help from a friend, or
to talk to a teacher or counsellor to see if they can help.
In July 2016, a 14-year-old boy returned from school, went to the terrace of his apartment
block, and jumped to his death. Investigations revealed that he was bullied by a schoolmate
who travelled with him in a private school van. In another instance, a class 9 student studying
at a reputed private school in a metro city reported suffering physical and psychological
trauma due to alleged harassment by his classmates. The incident came to light after they
called for medical help, when their otherwise soft-spoken and well-mannered child turned
violent. Bullying and being bullied exists everywhere in India, yet it is hugely under-reported.

What is Bullying?

Bullying refers to an unwanted aggressive behaviour involving real or perceived power

imbalance. This is often repeated or has the potential to be repeated over time, causing
serious and lasting problems for those who are bullied. It, therefore, becomes important to
identify any indications of such behaviour right at the onset.

Physical bullying is the most commonly reported due to the involvement of violence. It is
basically the use of physical strength or influence to intimidate someone and force them to
submit to something. Any kind of repetitive, aggression oppression, torment or physical
harassment comes under this. Verbal bullying includes name-calling, teasing, passing
unsolicited remarks, taunts and sexual comments and threatening. Social bullying involves the
purposeful spreading of rumours, social isolation, passing judgement on a person’s looks and
behaviour etc. A new phenomenon of bullying has emerged with the rapid use of technology
and the internet, this is known as cyberbullying. Here, victimisation and aggression happen
over an electronic medium, which in the worst cases can lead to suicide.

According to a study on online bullying among youth in the age group of 8 to 17 years, India
has the third highest bullying rate among 25 countries. Physical bullying is also a rampant
issue in schools across the country. More than 42% of students in the age group of 9 to 13 and
as many as 36% between the age of 13 and 17 are victims of bullying in Indian
schools. Academic ridicule seems to be a common theme with kids often labelling those who
score low as a “failure.”

Many reports of cyber-bullying or online trolls have surfaced in the recent past primarily due
to the growing exposure of children to various online platforms. While social media platforms
provide an opportunity for people to network with family, friends and peers, it often
comes with a dark side. ‘Technology and Adolescent Mental Health’, a book that details the
challenges and opportunities presented by the intersection of mental health and technology
highlights how children and adolescents, the main players involved in cyberbullying, have
shown high risks of depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation. The pressure of presenting
oneself in a positive manner and comparing one’s life to another on social media leads to
victimisation and online bullying.
 Bullying and friendship

Bullying among friends, also known as relational bullying, can be hard to detect. It involves
spreading rumours, social exclusion or belittling someone over how they look or behave under
certain circumstances. The fact that it is subtle and done between the smiles and laughs of
friendship makes it worse. For those who are bullied by friends, the experience can become
more traumatic because it amounts to a breach of trust. The child or teen may also feel
reluctant to open up about such friends because it seems disloyal, or because they’re afraid
of losing them altogether.

Impact of bullying on children

Bullied children and young adults often lose out on quality learning, as they are unable to
come to schools or colleges in the right state of mind and shy away from reporting incidents
due to lack of support. Their emotional trauma surpasses the physical assault in many cases.

A survey covering 9,000 men aged between 15 to 49 years, across the seven states in India,
published by International Centre for Research on Women and UNFPA observed that exposure
to violence and discrimination during childhood lead to boys internalising bullying as
acceptable behaviour. Many victims of bullying indulge in self-harm to forget the mental
torment they face. Most do not share their burden with their parents for fear of blame and
silently suffer from anxiety, depression, and seclusion.
Bullying instils fear and self-loathing, and being a target repeatedly can damage the child’s
ability to view themselves as a desirable and an effective individual later in life. Not only
this, such trauma in the early years of life can lead them to make fewer positive choices and
act less often in defence of their own happiness.

The Role of Parents and Teachers

Some signs that parents should watch out for include a sudden change in behaviour, trouble in
sleeping, lack of appetite, lack of interest in activities they once enjoyed, and a deteriorating
academic record. In some extreme cases, the bullied can exhibit violent behaviour or suicidal
tendencies. Adults who come across bullying in any form should intervene and stop it before
the situation gets out of hand. Some ways to do this could be as follows.

 Parents and teachers should consider any such reported incidents with utmost seriousness and
offer complete moral and emotional support to the victim.
 Children and young adults model what they observe and experience around them. It is,
therefore, imperative for the elders to reinforce positive behaviour and intervene if any cases
of bullying are observed. To stand aside and leave it for children to sort it out by themselves
at all times can send a message that the behaviour is being condoned.
 Avoid labelling children (both the bully and the victim) and help them understand the
aftermath of bullying instead.
 Online literacy and safety must be advocated from a young age, and parents, educators and
teachers must provide active awareness about cyber safety for children.
Bullying is Punishable by Law

The 2007 Raghavan Committee report lists out various recommendations to control ragging
and bullying in schools and colleges. The report categorises ragging as an abuse of human
rights.

On the recommendation of this report the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has
ordered the setting up of Anti-Bullying Committees in the schools. The committees have the
authority to warn, suspend and in extreme cases, rusticate the bullies.

To tackle bullying in colleges, an anti-ragging notification was issued by the UGC in 2009. The
notification defines ragging and instructs the colleges to engage trained counsellors to deal
with the incidents. It is mandatory for each college to set up anti-ragging squads and take
swift action in the reported cases.

Bullying and related harassment can be reported under various sections of the Indian Penal
Code. Some of them are section 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation), section 323 – 326
(causing hurt and grievous hurt and the punishments for the same), section 304 (in cases
resulting in the death of the victim of bullying or ragging, section 306 (abetment of suicide)

There is no separate law to deal with cyberbullying in India. However, section 506 and
section 507 of the IPC which deal with criminal intimidation may be applicable to
cyberbullies. In cases involving defamation of the victim by the bully, section 499 is
applicable. The Indian Penal Code now includes stalking, sexual harassment and harassment
in general through electronic means under section 354 A and D of the IPC. Section 66 E of the
IT Act dealing with punishing the violation of privacy can also be applied in such cases.

Not all forms of abuse leave physical bruises and bullying is one of them. Working together is
critical for both identifying and solving the problem.

Bullying is an unfortunately common occurrence in elementary, middle and high schools

across the country. While bullying doesn’t have to occur in the educational environment,
there just seems to be something about the school setting that inadvertently fosters bullying.
What are some of the common causes of bullying in public schools and private boarding
schools?

Targets May Be Physically Different

In childhood and adolescence, being different in some physical, discerning way can make for
an easy target of bullying. That kid with the new pair of glasses, the tall, gangly 13-year-old
and the kid with big ears could all be victims of bullying due to their physical appearances.
Any physical characteristic that attracts attention could increase someone’s chances of
becoming a target of bullying.

Targets May Be of a Different Race or Ethnicity

Along the same lines, adolescents who are of a different race or ethnicity than their peers are
more likely to be bullied because of it. This is especially true in schools that are more
homogenous in their student body. In the United States, Muslim students —or those who may
present as Muslim, such as Sikh students — are especially prone to bullying due to their race.

Thankfully, private boarding schools with exceptionally diverse student bodies, such as
Wasatch Academy, are working to combat this particular source of bullying.

Targets May Have a Learning Disability or Other Illness

Bullies prey on the weak — whether they are perceived as being weak physically or mentally.
Students with chronic illnesses, students in wheelchairs and students who have been
diagnosed with ADHD, Asperger’s, dyslexia, autism, asthma and other conditions could
become targets because of their condition. Students with mental or physical abnormalities
may need additional care to stay protected from school bullies.

Targets May Be of a Different Sexual Orientation

Students who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, asexual or non-binary are more
likely to be targeted by school bullies for being different. Bullying of people of a different
sexual orientation or gender identity can be brutal — and can even lead to assault.
Administrators need to set a good example to students about being inclusive in order to help
prevent such events from occurring in our nation’s private boarding schools and public high
schools.

The Bully Is Always Responsible

Regardless of the reasons for which students may be singled out and bullied, at the end of the
day the bully him or herself is solely responsible for bullying. Anyone can be a target of
bullying — even kids who excel in school, are popular and participate in sports.

In order to protect against bullying, administrators at public high schools and private boarding
schools need to work to build a culture of positivity and inclusivity — and recognize that
bullying is a school-wide problem, not just an individual one.

Short-term effects of bullying for the victim

All kids are different and are likely to exhibit varying behaviors during or after bullying by a
peer. With relational aggression on the rise and cyberbullying easier than ever, it should be
noted that bullying can be ongoing for long periods of time before students seek help.

A UCLA study of 2,300 students in eleven middle schools in Los Angeles found that a high level
of bullying was associated with lower grades across three years of middle school. Students
who were rated as the most bullied performed significantly worse academically than their
peers.
Effects on the bullied victim can include:

• Social isolation
• Feelings of shame
• Sleep disturbance
• Changes in eating habits
• Low self-esteem
• School avoidance
• Symptoms of anxiety
• Bedwetting
• Higher risk of illness
• Psychosomatic symptoms (stomachaches, headaches, muscle aches, other physical
complaints with no known medical cause)
• Poor school performance
• Symptoms of depression

Long-term risks of bullying for the victim

With immediate and proper mental health treatment and support systems in place, victims
can stave off some of the potential long-term consequences of bullying. Without intervention,
however, kids are at risk for the following:
• Chronic depression
• Increased risk of suicidal thoughts, suicide plans, and suicide attempts
• Anxiety disorders
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Poor general health
• Self-destructive behavior, including self-harm
• Substance abuse
• Difficulty establishing trusting, reciprocal friendships and relationships

Long-term effects of bullying for the bully

Without proper treatment, bullying behavior is likely to continue into adulthood.

• Risk of spousal or child abuse
• Risk of antisocial behavior
• Substance abuse
• Less likely to be educated or employed