Every child has the right to feel safe at home, at school and in their own community but for many children, bullying is a reality that threatens that basic right. Bullying should never be considered a normal part of growing up. Parents and caregivers can play a key role in recognizing when a bullying problem has occurred, and supporting their children by responding immediately and taking preventative steps to stop the bullying.
Bullying can be physical or psychological, and involves behaviour that aims to make the other child feel afraid and uncomfortable. A child who bullies is usually trying to exert power over another child, or cause them harm. These negative actions can include some or all of the following:
- physical actions (hitting, kicking, punching),
- verbal actions (threats, name calling, insults, ethnoculturally-based or sexual comments),
- social exclusion (spreading rumours, ignoring, gossiping, excluding).
The bully carries out these actions regularly to establish their dominance over the child they are bullying.
The immediate effects of bullying include low self-esteem, but long-term effects such as anxiety or depression, self-harm or even suicide are other serious risks, especially if the bullying continues for long periods of time. There is also evidence that bullying may be associated with, or lead to psychotic symptoms.