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What are the Types of Bullying?

Jen Whitten
Jen Whitten

By definition, a bully is someone who is cruel to weaker individuals. Although numerous bullying methods exist, there are four main types of bullying: physical, verbal, emotional, and cyber. It's important to remember that no one kind of bullying is better or worse than another, as it depends on what is most effective against the victim. Often, a bully employs various methods in combination for maximum impact.

Physical bullying is the easiest of the types of bullying to define because it is among the most common. Injury to the person or his or her belongings is characteristic of this method. The bully may punch, kick, shove, or spit on the victim.

Bullying can occur within relationships.
Bullying can occur within relationships.

Cyber bullying, as the name implies, takes place in cyberspace. This means any electronic communication device is a potential instrument of the bully. This type of bullying involves various forms of victim harassment, including posting pictures of the victim on websites against his or her wishes and sending pictures through cell phone texting. The bully may also turn up in chat rooms to talk negatively about the target or interfere with his or her ability to chat.

Verbal bullying is common in schools.
Verbal bullying is common in schools.

The remaining two kinds of bullying, verbal and emotional, are often confused as the same thing. While similar in nature, the methods and outcomes are often different. The goal of emotional bullying is to exclude the victim from social interactions and cause mental pain while leaving the victim in social solitude. Verbal bullying, on the other hand, does not utilize indirect methods like spreading rumors.

Physical abuse is a type of bullying behavior.
Physical abuse is a type of bullying behavior.

A verbal bully will say demeaning and offensive things directly to the victim, usually in front of his or her friends. The nature of the harassment often makes verbal bullies more difficult to catch than a physical bully because an authority figure can do little without evidence. Of all the types of bullying, verbal bullying is frequently the most prevalent in schools.

Bullying is not limited to schoolhouses and playgrounds. Corporate employees can also find themselves victim to a bully's harassment. When instances of corporate bullying arise, the bully is often someone in a position of power.

Cyber bullying involves using electronic communication devices to attack a victim.
Cyber bullying involves using electronic communication devices to attack a victim.

Rather than using effective management techniques, a corporate runs a department or company through fear and intimidation. He or she can employ any of the four common types of bullying, but typically avoids physical violence because of legal implications. Cyber bullying is easily tracked, so he or she most often resorts to emotional or verbal bullying, in addition to threatening termination.

Discussion Comments

anon130525

There is a type of bullying called mobbing and gangstalking. There is a lot about this on the internet and a lot of groups, etc.

Many people are bullied, abused and harassed by police, firemen, city hall, social services, etc. It follows them everywhere. No matter how many times they move or change cities, etc. There is always someone there to follow them and harass them everywhere they go. It is awful.

Moldova

I know that in Miami, the school district has designated anti bullying coordinators in order to create an anti bullying campaign. One of the schools had a motto of, “Be a buddy not a bully”.

I think that there needs to be anti bullying measures starting in preschool. The same way that we have red ribbon weeks and discuss anti drug campaigns, we really should address the effects of bullying in order for children to see how this affects other kids.

A great movie that addresses this very topic is Chrissa Stands Strong. This film is part of the American Girl series of DVD’s and it shows how a relatively new girl to the school, Chrissa deals with bullying behavior.

The movie really creates opportunities for parents to discuss the brutality of bullying toward the target and how it makes her feel. Children need to understand that anyone that engages in bullying is really a coward and incredibly insecure.

suntan12

The effects of bullying can really lead to depression and in some cases suicidal thoughts. Bullying really robs a person of their sense of self and their basic feelings of security.

Different types of bullying might include text bullying that send threatening messages or might forward pictures of the person in compromising situations.

There was a case about at freshman in a New Jersey college that ended his life because of the humiliation that he experienced as a result of supposed friends transferring these images of the freshman engaging in gay sex.

Cyber bullying can also be devastating because the bullying never ends. With cyber bullying the target of the bullying is harassed on the internet in social networking sites.

There was also a case in which the mother of a teen that went to school with the target sent her derogatory messages while she posed as the target’s ex boyfriend.

This young girl also ended her life which is really sad. These different types of bullying cases have led many school districts across the country to create an anti bullying policy and many have a no tolerance rule that allows no bullying in the schools at all.

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    • Bullying can occur within relationships.
      Bullying can occur within relationships.
    • Verbal bullying is common in schools.
      By: auremar
      Verbal bullying is common in schools.
    • Physical abuse is a type of bullying behavior.
      By: AlexandreNunes
      Physical abuse is a type of bullying behavior.
    • Cyber bullying involves using electronic communication devices to attack a victim.
      By: creative soul
      Cyber bullying involves using electronic communication devices to attack a victim.
    • Engaging in repeated, intimidating telephone calls is a form of bullying.
      By: maximino gomes
      Engaging in repeated, intimidating telephone calls is a form of bullying.
    • Emotional bullying excludes the victim from social interactions and causes mental pain.
      By: stefanolunardi
      Emotional bullying excludes the victim from social interactions and causes mental pain.
    • There are legal options available to people who are receiving harassing text messages.
      By: Arto
      There are legal options available to people who are receiving harassing text messages.
    • Bullying can include not making someone feel included in social groups.
      By: godfer
      Bullying can include not making someone feel included in social groups.
    • Physical bullying might escalate into assault.
      By: Monkey Business
      Physical bullying might escalate into assault.
    • Bullying often has a negative emotional impact on the victim.
      By: fasphotographic
      Bullying often has a negative emotional impact on the victim.