Bullying Beyond the Playground

Many people think that bullying is a common part of childhood, and sadly, it is. Bullying affects close to half of the students in high school and middle school. Estimates by the National Youth Violence Prevention in 2006 say that 30% of students are either bullied or bullies themselves. This evidence shows that bullying is all too common in schools and the serious nature of bullying can damage the lives of these children. But unfortunately, bullying does not end in the playground.?

There are many types of bullying including: verbal, prejudicial, relational, cyber, and physical. Many types of more subtle bullying are often overlooked, particularly relational aggression. Relational aggression relates to an insidious and devious form of bullying. This often takes the form of exclusion and manipulation to affect social standing.?

Any person can be the victim of bullying, but some people are more likely than others to be targeted. Any person that is different whether it is race, ethnicity, religion, physical limitations, or mental limitations is at a higher risk of being bullied.?

One study suggests that bullying is more common within the arts than in the army. Of course, this could be caused by any number of reasons. It could be that people rationalise it as artistic temperament, or the fact that the arts have a far greater number of aspiring employees than jobs available making people somewhat disposable and therefore increasing exploitative behaviour. In an industry where roles are often referred to as ‘one in a million’, the fight to succeed at any cost is more likely. Regardless of the many causes of bullying, the solution is clear: kindness, compassion, and empathy.??