What is Bullying?
Bullying is when a person is being picked on by a person or group of people. Bullies are more likely to bully those that seem inferior to themselves, people that oftentimes won't bother to stand up for themselves.
Different Forms of Bullying:
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Physical bullying: When bullies hurt their targets physically. Any form of unwanted touching can be bullying and possible sexual assault.
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Verbal bullying: taunting or teasing someone.
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Psychological bullying: gossiping about or excluding people to make them feel bad about themselves.
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Cyberbullying: A form of bullying through the use of the internet and social media where a person says things that they wouldn't normally say in person.
Bullies might make fun of others for many reasons, like:
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Appearance (how someone looks)
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Behavior (how someone acts)
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Race or religion
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Social status (whether someone is popular or not)
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Sexual identity (like being gay, lesbian, or transgender)
What Are the Effects of Bullying?
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Feeling afraid, stressed, depressed, or anxious.
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Have had thoughts about suicide and/or self harm.
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Having trouble with everyday work and tasks.
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Having issues with mood, energy levels, appetite, and sleep.
What Can I Do?
There are many things that you can do if you're being bullied or know someone who is, like:
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Tell a trusted adult.
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Ignore the bully and walk away (bullies like getting reactions out of their victims, it's what fuels them).
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Be/practice confident.
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Don't get physical.
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Try to talk to the bully.
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Find your (true) friends (those that accept you for who and what you are).
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Stand up to or for those you see getting bullied.
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Seek peer mediation programs.