According to StopBullying.gov, Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior between a bully and another student that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Both students who are bullied and who bully others may have serious, lasting problems.
What is considered bullying?
In order to be considered bullying, the behavior must be aggressive and include the following key components:
- An Imbalance of Power: Bullies use their power—such as physical strength, access to embarrassing information, or popularity—to control or harm others. Power imbalances can change over time and in different situations, even if they involve the same people.
- Repetition: Bullying behaviors happen more than once or have the potential to happen more than once.
Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose.