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Understanding the different types of bullying and knowing where to find help can make a big difference. Learn more about the support tools and resources available if you experience or see bullying.
What is bullying
Bullying is when someone repeatedly tries to upset or hurt another person. This could be an individual person or a group of people.
Bullies often think they have more power than the other person. They might:
- think they're more popular, stronger, or part of a powerful group
- repeatedly try to hurt another person physically or socially isolate them
- say and do mean or humiliating things.
Types of bullying
Bullying can be verbal, social, physical or take place online. Verbal and social bullying are the most common forms of bullying reported by children and young people.
Verbal bullying
Verbal bullying can include:
- name calling
- hurtful mimicking
- insulting
- making sexist, racist or homophobic remarks or jokes
- making verbal threats and intimidation.
Playful teasing between friends can be okay as it uses humour to bring people together. It can lighten your mood, improve relationships and is enjoyable for the person being teased.
Hurtful teasing is done on purpose and unkindly to put someone down.
Social bullying
Social bullying is sometimes called ‘relational bullying’. It involves hurting someone’s relationships or reputation on purpose. This can include:
- embarrassing or humiliating someone on purpose
- gossiping, telling lies or spreading rumours about someone
- ignoring someone or encouraging others to do so
- leaving someone out on purpose or encouraging others to do so
- sharing images that will have a harmful effect on the other person
- unwelcome facial expressions or body language
- playing jokes to embarrass someone
- hurtful mimicking.
Physical bullying
Physical bullying can include:
- hitting, kicking or punching someone
- bumping, shoving, tripping or ‘shouldering’ someone
- physically threatening someone
- damaging or stealing someone’s belongings.
Online bullying
Online bullying is often called cyberbullying and could be on phones, laptops, computers, gaming devices or tablets.
Cyberbullying is concerning because:
- it's more likely to be anonymous
- online content can be shared quickly and easily with more people
- children and young people can be exposed to online bullying at any time of the day, in any location where technology is available.
What to do if you're being bullied
Talk to someone. There are people and services who can help.
Talk to a teacher or someone at your school. Your school wants to stop bullying.
Ask your parents or an adult in your family for help.
If things don’t get better, tell them again or speak to a different adult.
You can report cyberbullying to the eSafety Commissioner.
Visit The eSafety Guide to learn how to protect yourself online and report bullying on social media sites.
Where to go for support and advice
Kids Helpline
Kids Helpline provides a free, confidential counselling service for people aged 5 to 25. This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
You can either:
- call 1800 55 1800
- chat online via WebChat Counselling.
Headspace
Headspace provides a free, confidential counselling service for people aged 12 to 25. This service is open from 8.30am to 12.30am (ACST), 7 days a week.
You can either:
- call 1800 650 890
- chat online via webchat
- send them an email.
Bullying. No Way!
Bullying. No Way! has bullying and bullying prevention advice and help for children and young people, schools, and families.
eSafety Commissioner (eSafety)
The eSafety Commissioner (eSafety) offers advice, teaching resources and training to help parents, carers, schools and pre-schools.
eSafety can receive complaints about serious cyberbullying and image-based abuse that happens to children and young people. In response to serious reports, eSafety can request that the online site remove the offensive content.
Student Wellbeing Hub
The Student Wellbeing Hub provides resources for students, families, and educators.
