Where to go for help/support
What is bullying and harassment?
The impacts of being the target of bullying are not always limited to the past, in fact, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (or RACGP for short) reports that over 20 percent of victims need therapy to help heal lasting wounds. Bullying not only takes a great physical toll but an emotional toll as well.
Bullying can also lead a person becoming more withdrawn, shy and social anxious. It may also affect concentration, and motivation.
However, there are places you can go for help. Medical professionals recommend talking to friends, peers and trusted adults. There are also many resources that survivors or current victims can go for help such as:
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Hotlines:
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Lifeline: 13 11 14 | lifeline.org.au
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Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 | kidshelpline.com.au
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1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732 | 1800respect.org.au
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Mental Health Support:
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Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 | beyondblue.org.au
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Reach Out: au.reachout.com
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Reporting Bullying:
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Bullying. No Way! | bullyingnoway.gov.au
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Australian Human Rights Commission: humanrights.gov.au
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Workplace Bullying:
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Fair Work Commission: fwc.gov.au
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Legal Aid: legalaid.nsw.gov.au
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Online Bullying:
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ESafety Commissioner: esafety.gov.au
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LGBTQ+ Support:
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QLife: 1800 184 527 | qlife.org.au
Bullying: Bullying is the act of repeatedly and intentionally harming a target victim or group of people in private without an audience or witnesses. Bullying can be done by a singular person or group of people, and the damage is usually through cruel teasing, comments, or threats
Harassment:
Harassment is defined as behavior that is unwanted by the person experiencing it. It can be experienced in different ways, including verbal abuse and offensive jokes about someone's nationality, religion, sex, disability, or sexual preference. This can take place in schools, online, workplaces, and other settings, often in public areas. Harassment can happen once or multiple times.
how to deal with bullying and harassment?
Dealing with bullying and harassment requires a strategic approach to protect yourself and take action. Here are some key steps to handle these situations:
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Keep a record of bullying incidents, including dates, times, locations, and any witnesses Save messages, emails, or screenshots if it's online harassment.
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Talk to someone you trust, such as a friend, family member, teacher, or counselor. If bullying happens at work or school, report it to the appropriate authorities.
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If possible, just stay away from the other person and don't give them the opportunity to harass you further. If you are at work or school, try not to be alone with the harasser, you can bring a friend or colleague with you.
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At school or at work, you can find teachers, counselors, parents, or other trusted people to help you deal with it.
Different types of bullying and harassment
There are 5 main types of bullying/ harassment: physical bullying, verbal bullying, social bullying, electronic/ cyberbullying, and psychological bullying. Different methods can have varied lasting mental and physical impacts on the victim, including:
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Physical bullying: This is when the bullies repeatedly and intentionally injure the target physically. This could come in the form of shoving, tripping, punching, hitting, etc. Alternatively, the defacement or destruction of a person's property or other owned items is also considered physical bullying. This also includes any other unwanted touching, such as sexual assault.
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Verbal bullying: Includes screaming, verbal aggression, repeated slandering or ridiculing, repeatedly referencing triggering or offensive remarks, and threatening the victim. It is often done to make the target feel fear, humiliation, and shame.
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Social bullying: also known as relational bullying, is the act of trying to damage somebody's relationships. It can be done by intentionally isolating them from a group, spreading rumors about them, or telling others to distance themselves.
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Electronic/cyberbullying: Using technology to harass somebody online through texts, messages, tweets, or posting of private information publicly.
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Psychological bullying: Also known as covert bullying, psychological bullying is quite similar to social bullying. It relies on spreading false stories about the victim to turn people against their target.
It should also be kept in mind that a victim's experience is not limited to one form of bullying. Targets commonly experience multiple types of harassment simultaneously and should seek some form of confinement in a trusted figure in the situation. (see where to go for help above)
Lasting impacts of bullying and harassment
Victims of bullying experience higher rates of depression, anxiety, loneliness, social isolation, disturbed sleeping patterns, irregular eating habits, health complications (both physically and mentally), work and academic struggle and a loss of interest in hobbies and activities they previously enjoyed.
Examples of bullying and harassment
Examples of harassment include offensive or derogatory jokes, racial or ethnic slurs, pressure for dates or sexual favors, unwelcome comments about somebody's religion or religious garments or offensive pictures.
Examples of verbal bullying are name-calling, making fun of, making jokes at another's expense, unwelcome teasing, and spreading secrets that are disclosed.
Examples of physical bullying pushing, shoving, pinching, hitting, spitting, damage property, vandalizing lockers or school supplies.
Examples of cyber bullying include making threats to someone, sending rumors, sharing someone else private information or sharing embarrassing photos or videos online. Examples of social bullying include derogatory names or religious exclusion.
Examples of social bullying Includes turning away from someone, excluding others from the group, getting others to ignore or exclude you, spreading rumors, setting others up to look foolish, and damaging reputations and friendships.
Quiz (Blooket)
By Olive, Alyssa, Alex, Ezra, Liam and Teesy