______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

Bullying can be verbal, sexual, physical or emotional, and includes distress, provocation, repetition, hostile intent and power imbalance. Bullying has a wide spectrum of effects on the victim including anger, stress, depression, and suicide, and the bully may develop social disorder including criminal activity.

Bullying ranges from individual to group mobbing with bully assistants. Bullying develops in any context, including home, school, family, workplace and neighborhood. The strongest bullying predictor is the perception the most influential organization member approves bullying.

Bullying in school is a current social and medical problem in America with national news coverage, and many programs and organizations provide information for bullying prevention.

Bullying took the spotlight when some victims began committing suicide. I was stunned because bullying grabbed the spotlight too late! I heard on national news that a student, the media called geek or loner, had killed another student. Society had implemented laws against harassment, and bullying is extreme harassment.  Educators, media and society have dealt lately with bullying as harassment.  It is disturbing to know bullying caused suicide to call social attention.

______________________________________________________________