There are many different types of bullying that can be experienced by both adults and children. Some might be obvious whilst others appear to be in subtle form. It is important for us to know more about them so we don’t commit them or so if we see them being committed, we can stop them from happening.
1. Physical bullying
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This type of bullying is what most people imagine bullying as. It includes hitting, kicking, tripping, pinching, pushing or even damaging properly. It can also cause both short term and long term damage.
2. Verbal bullying
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This bullying is less thought about but happens everywhere. It’s when someone name calls, insults, teases, intimidates, throws homophobic or racist remarks and more. With this method of bullying, a bully can start off harmless but may escalate to levels where it may actually start affecting the individual mental state.
3. Social bullying
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Sometimes referred to as covert bullying, this type is often harder to recognise as it can be carried out behind the bullied person’s back. It is designed to harm a person’s social reputation and/or cause humiliation. This includes:
- Lying and spreading rumours
- Negative facial or physical gestures, and menacing or contemptuous looks
- Playing nasty jokes to embarrass and humiliate
- Mimicking unkindly
- Encouraging others to socially exclude someone
- Damaging someone’s social reputation or social acceptance
4. Cyber bullying
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This bullying can be overt or covert bullying behaviours using digital technologies, including hardware such as computers, smartphones and software such as social media, instant messaging, texts, websites and other online platforms. It can also happen at any time and can be in public or in private, sometimes only known to the target and the person bullying. This can also include:
- Abusive or hurtful texts emails or posts, images or videos
- Deliberately excluding others online
- Nasty gossip or rumours
- Imitating others online or using their log-in
So, how do we stop bullying?
1. Learn self-defense
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As a girl, this is very important because sometimes, ‘turning the other cheek’ doesn’t always work and it can often keep us a victim. The first reason why victims don’t fight back tend to be because they lack the knowledge and confidence to do so. Learning self-defense can also feel empowered. You can learn this through online tutorials, or taking up combat sports, which can also get you in better shape mentally and physically.
2. Condition yourself mentally
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Mental preparations for anything in life is essential, especially when you’re backed into a corner and the pressure is mounting. You need to know how to deal with these types of situation swiftly and efficiently. You can do this by reading books about others who have succeeded against all odds and even take up studying philosophy. You can also take up a tough sport that will help as hard training, discipline, pain, and dedication is 90% mental.
3. Show no reaction
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Though I’m all for defending yourself, whether verbally or physically, sometimes the best way is just to walk away. Reacting to an insult will prove to the bullies that you’re being affected by what they are doing. But if you show them that it doesn’t affect you, they will usually stop. However, only if they escalate their bullying would I advice the verbal or physical bullying.
4. Get help
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This should also be one of the first few things you do. Getting help from teachers, authorities, parents, and so forth, can be a good solution to stop bullying. If someone in power (more powerful than the bully) steps in and has a word with them, it could lead them to change their ways.
Header image source from here.
