Bullying

Bullying is a form of aggressive or threatening behaviour — either at school, in the workplace or in the wider community.

Common signs of bullying

Bullying usually:

  • is deliberate — the bully intends to cause pain or discomfort
  • involves a power imbalance — this could be based on, for example, status, physical size, age or gender
  • is a pattern of behaviour over time that leads to fear and anxiety — it’s not usually a one-off thing
  • causes short or long-term physical or psychological harm.

Learn how to prevent and respond to bullying — Bullying-Free NZ

Where bullying usually happens

Bullying is often a problem:

School bullying

Workplace bullying

Online bullying — also called ‘cyberbullying’

Who to contact for more help

If you need more help or have questions about the information or services on this page, contact one of the following agencies.

Utility links and page information

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