Bullying is when someone deliberately and repeatedly upsets, frightens, threatens or hurts someone else or their property, reputation or friendships.
Bullying can be:
- teasing, saying mean things or calling someone names
- ignoring someone or leaving them out of games or activities, and/or encouraging others to do this
- playing nasty jokes or spreading nasty stories
- pushing, tripping or hitting someone,
- taking or damaging things that belong
Bullying can happen in different forms. It can happen face to face, and these days. with access to the Internet, it can also happen online. For example, in an online environment, bullying occurs when children send nasty messages or texts on social media platform. This is also know as cyberbullying, and can happen at any time of day or night.
Regardless of the method used, all bullying is hurtful. When it keeps going, it can cause long-lasting harm.
Note: If friends or peers disagree or even argue, or if someone says something mean once, it can be unpleasant and even nasty. But it isn’t bullying. Bullying is mean and hurtful behaviours that happens over and over again.