Everybody has been bullied. And at one point or another you might have been the bully. There are definitely more than three types of bullying/harassment but i’m only going to talk about three. Cyber bullying,(sexual) harassment, and suicide. Read on for more.
Bullying and harassment can come in many forms, one form being cyber bullying. Most people have social media, with 2.27 billion active users a month, facebook is the most popular and most commonly used. Internet trolls can be very dangerous (mostly verbally) You never know what kind of hurtful things bullies can say online. Some bullies feel safer saying mean things online because you can hide your identity so easily. Instagram, snapchat, and facebook tend to be the busiest sites that internet bullies go on because the apps are so commonly used for models and young ignorant people, who happen to be an easy target when harassing. Often times the cyber bullies are younger people that dont know the damage of what they’re saying.
Harassment can happen anywhere, school, work, your home, friends home, ect. It can be small and severe. Although its more common to hear about women being sexualy harassed with the #MeToo movement and what not, men can also be harassed in a sexual manner. In schools it doesn’t have to be adults that harass a kid, it can also be their peers (older and younger). Mind you, sexual harassment isn’t always touching, it can be gestures and comments too. This form of harassment can often make people stressed out and anxious. It causes self doubt and can make people feel more like objects than they do people. Sexual harassment can become more severe if adults are requesting sexual favors and such. In which case, call the cops. In most cases talking to someone (preferably a counselor or therapist) is the most beneficial. And for people that cant get out of the house, online sessions can also be greatly helpful.
(This section may be sensitive for some readers) Sometimes bullying can be more severe than other times. According to afsp (american foundation for suicide prevention) 44,965 americans take their own life a year, making suicide the tenth leading cause for death in the US. Most times suicide is caused by depression, anxiety, health disorders, abuse, ect. In 2016, its was found that the average age range for suicides was 45-54 years old. For the ages being older it can suggest that they might have been dealing with their mental health issues for a long time or even their whole life. it could also be because adults have more access to drugs, alcohol, guns, ect. Although its most common for adults to commit the act, younger people have also struggled with suicidal thoughts. It seems as if depression and anxiety is more normalized and is more common. Suicide rates have increased by 25% since 1999.
In conclusion there can be many different types of bullying. It can be as small as cyber bullying, or as large as life threatening. It can also come in forms of harassment especially sexual harassment. No matter how severe the bullying/ harassment is, it can still affect people the same way. All types of bullying can greatly affect a person’s self esteem, self worth, and overall mindset. If you (or a friend) struggle with any form of bullying i hope this can help you understand a little more what you may be (or have been) going through.
