Physical bullying is no different from other types of physical assault. Some bullies kick, punch and hit their victims to establish physical dominance. Other bullies are more subtle when it comes to physical violence. They shove their peers into lockers or extend a limb to trip an unsuspecting target. When bullies resort to physical violence, parents and school administrators should contact the police.
Verbal bullying exists in a variety of forms. A bully may yell hurtful things at the target about her weight, physical appearance, intelligence or gender. They might point at her and laugh for no reason. They might whisper about her right in front of her face with other students. These bullies might also start rumors and spread them around the school. Unfortunately for the victim, hateful words are hard to ignore.
Exclusion is a tactic that bullies use to make their victims feel unwanted or isolated. If a student is having a party, the bully will make sure that uninvited students are well aware that they aren't on the guest list. Not only is exclusion emotionally damaging to the victims, but it can be hard for school administrators to prove because it can be done passive aggressively.
During adolescence, a student who is different in any way, shape or form is often the victim of bullying. Sexual minorities are far more likely to become victims of bullying than their heterosexual classmates. Young gay students are also far more likely to commit suicide than straight students. Racial minorities in schools can be the target of derogatory slurs and ethnic intimidation. Adults who commit this same type of harassment are charged with hate crimes, but many juvenile offenders are never caught or punished.
With the advent of social networking and the popularity of cell phones and text messaging, students can no longer escape school bullying by going home for the day. Cyber bullies may call or text message hurtful things to the victim at all hours of the day and night. They can stalk and harass students under anonymous pseudonyms on social networking sites. They might spam the victim's profile with hurtful language or rumors. These types of bullies hide in the anonymity of the Internet and are hard to catch.