Where Does Bullying Happen the Most?

Bullying occurs when a person or group of people in power (whether this power is because of size, age, social status, popularity, able-bodiedness, position in a school, workplace, sports team, etc.) takes advantage of another person, asserting dominance. Bullying is more likely to occur when the person or people bullying are less likely to be held accountable, whether that is because others do not know that the bullying occurs or more likely because no one speaks up. If the students in a school witness bullying but say nothing, the bullying is more likely to continue. But the problem is not always that bullying is unknown by those who can stop it, but more so a lack of willingness to intervene. If patrons at a restaurant bully the server, who cannot defend themself out of fear of losing employment, will the manager who witnesses this occurring tell the patrons to leave and sacrifice some income or look the other way and allow the waiter to suffer? The person capable of intervening may not want to be bothered by dealing with the matter may erroneously assume that the person being bullied will benefit by being bullied, such as becoming stronger, or may fail to recognize that bullying occurs at all (which is common since many assume that bullying must be physical in nature). When the person in a position to stop the bullying does not act, this only empowers the bully.

Just as accountability can be a deterrent to bullying, anonymity can increase the likelihood of it occurring because it does reduce the likelihood of accountability. There may be no place other than the Internet where people feel more anonymous. Even when using their names online, the Internet can feel like a safe place to bully, one where they will not experience consequences for doing so. Additionally, the Internet allows others to show off to their friends, make comments on social media, message boards, etc., which can cause a group of people to gang up on one or more vulnerable individuals. Furthermore, just as the Internet makes the bully feel more anonymous, it can also make the person being bullied feel less real, causing the bully to feel less empathy or less consideration for affecting others.

Ultimately, there may always be someone who tries to bully, but it will depend on a place’s (school’s, workplace’s, neighborhood’s, etc.) culture where this bullying will be allowed to persist. As we have read in the news about people being bullied passing away by suicide, there may be more willingness now for some environments to take a firm stand against bullying. If you have been experiencing any suicidal thoughts, reach out for help immediately. You can reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

However, not everyone is on board or even recognizes what bullying is. The more bullying is recognized and then viewed as unacceptable in whatever environment it is happening, the less frequently it will occur.