Bullying

Bullying is a serious problem.  It can happen anywhere: face-to-face, on the Web or by text messages.  It is happening everywhere in America and right here in our own community. Operation Care offers an Anti-Bullying class for elementary, middle school, and high school aged children interested in learning about how to deal with bullying.

 

Although definitions of bullying vary, most agree that bullying involves:

  • Imbalance of Power: people who bully use their power to control or harm and the people being bullied may have a hard time defending themselves
  • Intent to Cause Harm: actions done by accident are not bullying; the person bullying has a goal to cause harm
  • Repetition: incidents of bullying happen to the same the person over and over by the same person or group

Types of Bullying

Bullying can take many forms. Examples include:

  • Verbal: name-calling, teasing
  • Social:spreading rumors, leaving people out on purpose, breaking up friendships
  • Physical: hitting, punching, shoving
  • Cyberbullying: using the Internet, mobile phones or other digital technologies to harm others

An act of bullying may fit into more than one of these groups.