What is bullying?
Webster’s Dictionary defines bullying as “to overawe by threats and taunts” “to treat with persistent petty cruelty; to domineer over; to coerce” and a bully as “a cruel
and boastful oppressor of the weak”.
Bullying.gov states bullying involves:
- Imbalance of power
- Intent to cause harm
- Repetition
Spreading rumors, name-calling, excluding others, and embarrassing them are all forms of social bullying that can cause serious and
lasting harm.
One psychologist says on his website that bullying is a normal social interaction that happens in every relationship. However, he limits the definition of bullying to teasing and the kinds of things we think of as social dominance. While bullying may be common, it is not normal and you don’t have to accept it.