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What is Bullying?

    Bullying is when people repeatedly and intentionally use words or actions against someone or a group of people to cause distress and risk to their wellbeing. These actions are usually done people by people who have more influence or power over someone else, or who want to make someone else feel less powerful or helpless.

    In my words bullying is a form of harassment, verbal and physical. Sometimes leading to self doubt, depression and suicide as the bullying continues. Bullies use hurtful words and actions on purpose to discourage others. Anyone can get bullied, even adults and anyone can be a bully.

    Bullying is both behavior and impact; what someone does and the impact it has on the other person's capacity to feel in control of themselves. We call this their sense of 'agency'. Bullying takes place in the context of relationships. It is behavior that can make people feel hurt, threatened, frightened and left out and it can it can happen face to face and online.  

    Bullying behaviour can harm people physically or emotionally and, although the actual behavior might not be repeated, the threat that it might can be sustained over time, typically by actions: looks, messages, confrontations, physical interventions, of fear of these.