There are many different types of bullying in schools.
First, there is direct bullying.
It can be verbal- name- calling, insulting, teasing, or threatening- or physical- pushing, tripping, hitting, or otherwise attempting to harm the victim physically.
Indirect bullying, on the other hand, is less visible but just as painful to the victim.
Indirect bullying is also called "relational" or social bullying.
It includes social actions such as purposely excluding someone from a group or spreading rumors about someone.
Example: Amanda arrives at school one day and no one will talk to her.
It seems all her classmates are staring at her and whispering.
Even the girls she thought were her friends aren't speaking to her.
When she asks a classmate what is going on, she finds out that one of her so-called friends has been spreading rumors that she still wets her bed.
The rumors aren't true- but the damage is done.
Amanda is humiliated and excluded.
A common myth about bullying is that only boys bully.
In fact, both boys and girls bully.
Boys tend to use direct forms of bullying, while girls tend to use indirect bullying.
Boys tend to target both boys and girls, while girls tend to bully other girls.
One important protector against bullies is strong friendships.
Victims of bullies often are isolated at school and even stop spending time with their families.
In fact, teens who are bullied often become aggressive themselves or turn to alcohol or other drugs to help them cope.