Research shows that bullies might suffer from failure in retaining their jobs or having healthy relationships.
As per the UNICEF, bullying is any form of aggressive behavior that occurs in an intentional and repeated manner causing another child to feel hurt. Bullying can take multiple forms, including:
Spreading rumors
Threatening
Physical assault
Verbal assault
Excluding a child from a group to hurt her/him
Moreover, statistics shows that not a single child has escaped being teased and not every teasing situation is bullying. However, when it is intentional, repetitive, with imbalance in power it becomes a bullying accident. Usually bullies misuse their power to harm the bullied.
According to the UNICEF, there are many types of bullying. Such as:
Physical; such as hitting, punching, kicking, stealing, or damaging others property.
Verbal; such as name calling, putdowns, mocking, labelling, or threatening.
Social; ignoring someone intentionally, or spreading rumors.
Psychological; nasty looks, stalking, or manipulating.
Cyberbullying; mocking through text messages, social networks, or hacking.
The impact of bullying may vary from one child to the other, based on the individual differences, severity of the accident, and the duration of the assault. However, the common impacts are:
Lack of self-esteem
Lack of concentration and poor performance
Social shyness and fear of new communities
Potential psychological health problems such as depression or anxiety.
Research shows that groups who are highly targeted by bullies tend to be:
Different; appearance, culture, religious, social status, or different abilities differences can cause bullying.
Super achievers who receive special attention are subject to bullying,
Socially-shy and introverts are more likely to be bullied.
Newly arrived to a community; recently moving to a new school or team can cause bullying.
There are common causes or circumstances for someone to become a bully, such as
Being bullied before.
To avoid being bullied.
Having a bullying behavior at home.
Developing the bullying behavior through school or media.
Feeling ignored at home.
Suffering from a negative relationship with their parents.
Feeling vulnerable.
Attention seekers.
Lack of emotional and psychological security.
Lack of awareness.
The UNICEF even has published this PDF as part of its campaign, to teach people how to react to the bullying accidents.
If you have to face bullies on daily basis, try to stay calm and look to them in the eye without fear.
If someone tries to hit you, stop them. If you can't, leave immediately and ask an adult for help.
If a group starts bullying you, walk away not showing attention to what they're saying.
Try to avoid being alone frequently. If someone tries to harm you, speak loudly to draw the attention of other people.
Do not let them provoke you into answering everything they say. Arguing with them will make the problem bigger.
Find an adult that you can trust and ask for help.
This video was shared widely to raise awareness around bullying in Egypt, starring the superstar Ahmed Helmi. STOP anyone belittling you! Because everything told to you is not true! #ImAgainstBullying.
Although a lot of years have already passed, I do remember how my colleagues kept bullying me years ago. I do remember mocking how short I am, which I can do nothing about. This used to negatively affect my self-esteem, till I believed that I am short and I can do nothing about it! It is what it is, I am 155 centimeters and happy about it.
Others bullied me to be over-weight! Yes, I love food and yes I am over-weight trying to work on it. However, this is not a reason to bully me. It took me a lot of time to feel peace with being over my ideal weight with 20 kilograms.
If you are anti-bullying, please share this article with the hashtag #ImAgainstBullying!