What is bullying and why does it happen?
Bullying can happen at all ages and is when someone who has more power (whether it’s physical strength, being more popular, etc.) uses that power to physically, socially, or emotionally harm another person because they’re perceived as different in some way. In other words, bullying is a repeated behaviour that one person uses to hurt, harm, or intimidate another person.
Types of Bullying
Physical bullying. This form of bullying can include actions such as stealing or damaging property, spitting, shoving, tripping, punching, hitting, or any other touching that is unwanted.
Verbal bullying. This bullying behaviour can include teasing, name-calling, threats, purposeful humiliation, racist comments, sexual harassment, mocking, or other insults.
Social bullying. This behaviour can look like an individual or group gossiping about someone, damaging their reputation and friendships, or socially isolating someone by ignoring or excluding them (e.g., rolling their eyes and turning their backs on someone as they approach).
Cyberbullying. This happens when people use the internet to send threatening messages, share private images without consent, or use social media to harass or intimidate others. Those engaging in cyberbullying might also share personal information, pictures, or videos with the intention of hurting or embarrassing someone else.
Faith-based or religious bullying. This occurs when people are targeted because of their religious beliefs, practices, or symbols. These are actions or hurtful words that are deliberately used with the goal of causing physical, mental, or emotional harm. For example, an individual might be bullied for wearing a hijab, a cross, or another symbol of their religion.
Racially motivated bullying. This is a form of racism where someone is bullied because of their race, ethnicity, or culture. This can include physical, mental, or emotional insults that are overt. It can also include microaggressions, which are subtle forms of prejudice and can take the form of a joke, slur, or offhand, derogatory comment. While the person using microaggressions might not mean to offend, it is extremely hurtful to those who are the targets of these statements.
Homophobic, transphobic, and biphobic bullying. These are terms that describe bullying motivated by prejudice against people who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+. Queer children and youth are four times more likely to be cyberbullied than those young people who identify as heterosexual. As with other forms of bullying, these can be physical, verbal (e.g., making negative comments about a person’s gender identity or sexual orientation to make them uncomfortable), direct or indirect (e.g., excluding someone based on their gender identity and expression), or online. Visit our Understanding Gender, Sexuality, and Expression resource to learn about supporting queer and gender-diverse children and youth.
Why might someone be bullied?
Anyone can be bullied, which is partly why this is such a pervasive concern for parents and caregivers. While bullying can affect any child or young person, there are certain groups that are at higher risk of being bullied due to factors like race, ethnicity, religion, gender, disability, or socio-economic status. Other groups might also include:
- Children and youth who are successful, intelligent, and creative
- Those who may be perceived as different by their peers because of appearances (e.g., physical appearance or unique features, clothing choices)
- Children or youth who have mental health challenges (e.g., depression, anxiety, or low self-esteem) or physical health conditions
- Children or youth whose behaviours or interests might differ from those of their peers
Why might someone bully?
There are several reasons why someone might bully another person. In fact, some children or youth who bully others might have also been the target of bullying themselves. Some factors that might underlie a person’s choice to bully another person include:
- Their own stress or trauma
- Using aggressive behaviours to cope with issues that affect them
- To mask their own low self-esteem
- Challenges in their home environment
- A limited understanding of how bullying impacts others
- Limited quality relationships with friends and/or family