This diagram shows the typical elements of teasing/hassling, aggression and bullying. You will need to use your judgment to decide whether or not a specific incident is bullying. These other behaviours may be just as upsetting and serious, but may need to be dealt with in a different way. theft: taking someone else’s things once is theft but not necessarily bullying.using sexist or racist terms but doesn’t mean to cause harm.
not liking someone or a single act of social rejection.a one-off fight or argument, or difference of opinion between friends where there is no power imbalance and they can sort it out between themselves.This downloadable factsheet can be used by schools, parents, whānau and the wider community to promote a common understanding of bullying.īullying is a word often used to describe behaviour that is not actually bullying - not all verbal or physical aggression is bullying. They say or do things to upset them, make fun of them, stop them from joining in, or keep hitting or punching them. Bullying is when one student (or a group of students) keeps picking on another student again and again to make them feel bad. Kids who bully use their power - such as physical strength, knowing something embarassing, or popularity - to control or harm others. Bullying involves behaviour that can cause harm - it is not a normal part of growing up.īullying can happen anywhere, in person or online (cyberbullying), at any time, and can be verbal, physical or social (relational).Bullying is usually not a one-off - it is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated over time.Bullying involves a misuse of power in a relationship.Bullying is deliberate - harming another person intentionally.Whether bullying is physical, verbal, or social (relational), four widely-accepted factors can be used to identify it: Most widely-accepted definitions of bullying are based on four elements: bullying is deliberate, harmful, involves a power imbalance, and has an element of repetition. This can make it hard for schools, parents and whānau, and the wider community to consistently identify and deal with bullying when it happens. But often the term bullying is used to describe other aggressive behaviour. It’s easy to assume everyone knows what bullying is.