How to recognize bullying

Bullying has had increasingly high profile in recent years as people have come to understand how deeply it can wound children - and how tragic the consequences can sometimes be. Bullying is defined as "willful, repeated aggressive behaviour with negative intent used by a child to maintain power over another child." The result is "a victimized child caught in an abusive relationship."

• Unequal power - One child has more power than another child (or it seems this way to the children involved)
• Hurtful actions - Physically or psychologically harmful behaviour takes place (such as name-calling, insults, threats, kicking, hitting, punching, etc)
• Direct or indirect actions - The abusive behaviour may be face-to-face or done behind a child's back (such as teasing, exclusion, gossiping and spreading rumours)
• Repetitive behaviour - The hurtful actions keep happening, so the child being affected finds it increasingly difficult to escape