Bullying

Bullying has many forms

Physical

This consists of:

• Hitting
• Kicking
• Pushing or pulling someone around
• Destroying personal items or messing with them
• Items being stolen e.g. money etc.

Verbal

This consists of:

• Name calling
• Threatening
• Teasing
• Destroying personal items or messing with them
• Intimidation

Indirect

This consists of:

• Someone being ignored or left out of activities
• Rumours being spread
• Manipulation
• Telling lies about someone
• Gossiping about someone

Indirect bullying is found to be the worst for some as many people don’t realize that it is actually bullying.

Bullying can also be seen in other forms, like: abuse, (including neglect and sexual abuse) and emotional bullying.

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is when someone uses the internet or a mobile to purposely upset someone else.

This type of bullying can affect someone not just at school, but at home as too. This is because it takes place in the online environment, so it can be used at any time. Sometimes it can be difficult to find out who the cyberbully is because they could block their number or use another name. This type of bullying can have a large audience, but most won’t know that it is actually bullying.

A good thing about this kind of bullying is that it can be used as evidence. Normal bullying can be the bullies’ word against yours, but with cyberbullying you can save the messages or web pages and print them out. This can be used as evidence to find out who the bully is and stop them bullying other people too.

What should your child do?

1. Save all the messages or web pages. If they have upsetting emails or nasty comments on their social media profile, they can save them to their phone or computer so you can use it as evidence.
2. Learn how to block the bully. (We suggest you keep the contacts and find a way to block them as by keeping the contacts you will know who it is if they do it again).

Remember

• Don’t reply to things that are said; it could make the situation worse. Don’t give them what they want, we know this is hard but most people find it works.
• If your child is being bothered via mobile phone, you should contact their phone provider. Each company has a special area for problems like this.

The Law

Just because bullying is not a criminal offence in the UK, laws can be used for things like harassment or threatening behaviour, cyberbullying can include – threatening as well.

Some of the acts are mentioned below:

• Protection from Harassment Act 1997, which has both criminal and civil provision
• Malicious Communications Act 1988
• Section 43 of the Telecommunications Act 1984
• Communications Act 2003
• Public Order Act 1986

If your child is being bullied because of where you come from, your skin colour or your religion; this is racism. Depending on what they say it could be a criminal offence under other laws.