Bullying:
- Is behaving in a way perceived by others as negative
- Is perceived to be done with the intent to do harm
- Is repeated and persistent, often becoming worse with time
- May be directed at one or many people
- May be carried out by one or many people
- Happens where there is an imbalance of power between the bully and the target, making it difficult for the target to defend him/herself.
Each bullying episode may be made up of 'petty' incidents, often leading others to dismiss them as insignificant. To the target who faces a barrage of these events each day, the bullying is very real and is recognised by psychologists as harmful.
When targetted by a bully, it may be some time before you realise what is happening. Often bullying starts with relatively trivial events that escalate into a pattern of violence or intimidation, which eventually results in psychological damage to the victim(s) and physical illness. Because the onset of bullying is gradual, many targets do not take action early enough. By the time they seek help, they are often suffering extreme physical symptoms. They may require a long period of recuperation to recover.
If you are reading this because you are being bullied, you are not alone.
In the UK more than 1.5 million workers could be the victims of repeated bullying at work. Futterman, 2004
2.5 million people in the UK would report being bullied at work during the last 6 months, with over 300,000 severely victimised.
Hoel & Cooper, 2000.In UK law you have a ‘duty of care’ towards others in the workplace. Health and Safety regulations require employers to take steps against all threats to employee health..
..and that includes bullying.
[The above is an extract from Survive Bullying at Work: Steps to Success, by Lorenza Clifford, published by A&C Black, 2006]