What are the Different Types of Child Harassment?

The different types of child harassment include verbal abuse, cyberbullying, physical violence, property damage, threats, stalking, and peer pressure. Essentially, any repeated behavior by a bully intended to be hurtful may constitute a form of harassment. Some children engage in these behaviors toward other children in school. The various types of child harassment may escalate into the use of weapons or suicide.

Child harassment through verbal abuse occurs through name calling, derogatory jokes about a victim, teasing, racial or sexual remarks, or telling lies about the victim. Bullies simply attack a victim directly with foul remarks. Attacks may also occur indirectly with bullies spreading rumors or lies about a particular victim.

Verbal abuse may lead into cyberbullying or cyberstalking, which is another type of child harassment. This occurs when the perpetrator transmits attacks over the Internet through instant messaging, postings on social networking sites, or emails and text messages. Cyberbullying may not be easy to stop because it can occur anonymously. Physically stalking also occurs when the offender follows a child to intimidate or threaten.

Physical violence is another type of child harassment. This occurs through hitting, kicking, grabbing, or pulling hair. Physical attacks may escalate into children using weapons against each other. Bullies may take weapons to school to intimidate other children. Some victims of child harassment have even taken guns or knives to school for self-defense or retaliation.

Destroying or stealing property is another method of child harassment. Children often take various types of items to school such as iPods, cell phones, or books. A bully simply takes away the property from younger or weaker children. and hides, destroys, or keeps it. Children do not necessarily report this type of behavior because they are fearful of further attacks.

Peer pressure is another type of child harassment. Through peer pressure, a bully may cause other children to stay away from a victim. Those children ignore the victim or give a victim the silent treatment. As a result, the victim feels isolated with no friends.

The various types of child harassment may cause victims to perform poorly in school. The effects may also damage self-esteem, which could be long lasting. In extreme cases, children may commit suicide or retaliate with greater forms of violence. This may occur because schools have either ignored pleas for help or fail to address the problem effectively. In other instances, the victim may not report the problem to parents or school officials.