Bullying 101
Bullying is an act of aggression with three specific characteristics:
- Unwarranted and intentional act to do harm to an individual.
- Repetitive (or likely to be repeated) action involving the same or a different targeted person.
- Involves an imbalance of power, where the person engaging in bullying behavior perceives her/himself to be superior to the person targeted.
All three characteristics must be present in order for an aggressive behavior to be bullying.
Types of Bullying:
Physical Bullying
Physical bullying involves hitting, shoving, pushing, tripping, and other kinds of force.
Verbal Bullying
Verbal bullying involves hurtful comments, name-calling, teasing, and making threats.
Social Bullying
Social bullying involves using relationships to hurt someone, including embarrassing someone in public, excluding someone from participation, and spreading rumors.
Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place using electronic technology. Electronic technology includes devices and equipment such as cell phones, computers, and tablets as well as communication tools including social media sites, text messages, chat, and websites.
Involvement
Prevalence
Quick Facts
- 20% of American students and 25% of Michigan students report being bullied on school property in 2015.
- Bullying was declared a "serious public health issue" in 2016 by the National Institutes for Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.
- Bullying is now considered an Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) by the US Department of Education, Department of Health and Human Services, and Department of Justice.
Upcoming Professional Learning
Bully-Free Schools: A Circle of Support for Learning
November 29, 2018 and February 13, 2019
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Beyond Bullying
February 6, 2019
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Contact
Please contact Julie McDaniels, PhD for additional bullying prevention information, resources and services.