Definition of Bullying

The word bully can be traced back to as far as the 1530’s. In the most basic sense, it involves a victim and an intimidator. However, throughout the years, the topic of bullying has quickly spread and broadened, making its definition harder to pin down so simply. Today, we have several means, technological and otherwise, to inflict harm on others. More than ever before.

We’re all familiar with the many types of bullying. Including cyber, physical, emotional, as well as many more. Which can occur anywhere from work to school to your local park and even behind your laptop screen.

For some, school has transformed from a safe environment to grow and learn to a dreaded burden.

To make things slightly easier to explain, lets say there are mainly three types of school-bound bullies:

• The Physical Bully: exactly what it sounds like; physical. Punching, kicking, shoving or any other type of physical pain inflicted on someone.

• The PersonalSocial bully: probably the most common. These bullies act by singling out their peer in a social group. By constantly and publicly pointing out victims flaws, spreading rumours, etc.

• The Verbal Bully: name-calling, using racial slurs, comments about appearance or financial state, or their victims life at home. As well as using verbal threats.

While these types may not be the stereotypes that come to mind when we say the word bully, all of the above have an extreme affect, although not always immediate, on both the victim and the bully.

It has been found that most probably no child will go through its whole life untouched by the affect, whether direct or indirect, of bullying.

Indirectly affected are the bystanders, who aren’t really facing as high of a risk of the long-term affects that plague ...

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...ow to deal with bullies in case they face it themselves, and especially when they witness it.

Bullying will forever be a problem all over the globe. Wherever there is diversity, different views, religions, ethnicities, and upbringings, teenskids will always have something to torment others about. (Even some adults.)

Therefore it is very important to know how teachers and parents can work hand in hand to not only lesson the aftermath, or blow, bullying has on all societies, but also to work on the prevention before it is necessary. We need to work together for not only the sake of our children, but above all; our humanity.

“If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse, and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.”

- Desmond Tutu