Although harassment and bullying can go together, they're not the same. Harassment is repeated mistreatment of a person based upon their membership in a federally protected group -- such as a racial minority, woman or disabled person -- and is illegal. Bullying, by contrast, is not currently prohibited under federal law, and can target anyone, regardless of social status. While harassment displays contempt for a group by harming an individual, bullying is specifically targeted to a single person, and the reasons range from peer pressure to perceived weakness.
Both bullying and harassment are common on college campuses. A 2005 report by the American Association of University Women found that 62 percent of female college students and 61 percent of male college students report experiencing sexual harassment in college. A 2011 Indiana State University study found that 15 percent of college students had experienced in-person bullying, while 22 percent had experienced cyberbullying.
Students who are bullied in college may feel anxious about attending certain classes or going to certain locations, and this can interfere with their ability to excel academically and to make friends. Students who are routinely bullied are more likely to miss school. Bullying can also have effects well beyond college. Bullying victims can be plagued by low self-esteem, and are more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety. They're also more likely to have substance abuse problems and to experience physical issues such as headaches.
Anti-bullying programs are increasingly common on college campuses, which is helping students become aware of the impact of bullying while encouraging them to reach out to bullying victims. Schools that have a clear anti-bullying and harassment policy, as well as procedures for reporting and investigating allegations, can help victims feel safer. Federal laws designed to prevent harassment mean that schools can lose their federal funding if they permit a climate of harassment to continue, and harassment victims can sue a school that doesn't work to stop the harassment.