Bullying, Workplace Harassment and Sexual Harassment
Bullying
Unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children and adults. It involves a real or felt power imbalance.
Bullying can be:
- name calling
- hitting
- kicking or spitting
- telling lies and spreading info that’s not true
- taking things that don’t belong to you
- making others to do things they don’t want to do
Making fun of a person’s:
- disability
- gender
- looks
- race
- religion
Bullying may be repeated over time. Both kids who are bullied and who bully others may have serious, lasting problems. Children and adults with disabilities are 3 times more likely to be involved with bullying or harassment than non-disabled peers.
Bullying Prevention and Intervention Resources – Mass. Department of Elementary & Secondary Education
Stopbullying.gov
Website includes Types of Bullying ( including cyberbullying), risk factors, warning signs, resources and prevention. Information is provided for parents, teachers, community, teens and kids.
SAMHSA KnowBullying Free App
App for parents and caregivers has simple conversation starters to begin a discussion with your child. Also includes tips, warning signs, links to social media and info for educators.
National Bullying Prevention Center – PACER Center
PACER provides innovative resources for students, parents, educators, and others, and recognizes bullying as a serious community issue that impacts education, physical and emotional health, and the safety and well-being of students.
Specific Target Groups:
Children can be seen as different from their peers. A supportive setting may not be there. They can be at a higher risk of being bullied. The groups can include:
- LGBTQI+ Youth
- Making Schools Safe for LGBTQI+ Community
- Youth with Disabilities and Special Health Needs
- Special Needs Kids And Bullying
- Race, Ethnicity, and National Origin
- Religion and Faith
- Bullying & Victimization and Asian-American Students
Disability and Safety: Information about Bullying
Information about the three kinds of bullying: physical, verbal and social. Children with disabilities are sometimes more often bullied than children without disabilities.
How to Respond to Incidents of Racism, Bullying and Hate in Schools
National Education Association
When Your Child is Being Bullied (pdf)
Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center
Disablist Bullying
The motivations for disablist bullying may include; discrimination on the basis of a disability. It can be a lack of understanding of a person’s disability.
Massachusetts Students: What To Do If You’re Being Bullied – Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (pdf)
Information for students in all school settings
What is Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place using electronic technology. Electronic technology includes devices and equipment such as cell phones, computers, and tablets. It includes social media sites, text messages, chat, and websites.
Don’t Be Cyberbullied … Delete The Digital Drama
Social online harassment can be done through e-mail, cellphones, text messages and instant messaging.
Disability: Bullying and Harassment
U.S. Department of Education
Other Bullying Resources
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
How to talk about bullying and what you need to know about bullying.
Trans Lifeline
A crisis and suicide hotline for transgender individuals
Phone: 1-877-565-8860
STOMP Out Bullying™ Live HelpChat Line
Bullying Basics – Tolerance.org
Say No Bullying
Workplace Harassment
Workplace harassment can be:
- jokes in bad taste
- slurs
- name calling
- physical hurt or threats
- scaring someone
- making fun of or mocking someone
- insults or put-downs
- showing gross objects or pictures
- interfering with work tasks
H
arassment – US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Information for Workers and information on Employer Liability
Disability Discrimination & Harassment
US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Report Workplace Harassment
What to do if you believe you have been harassed at work. Info from U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Stop Office Bullying – American Psychological Association
Bullying in the workplace can lead to increased absenteeism, employee turnover, even lawsuits. Here’s how employers can reduce aggressive behavior among employees.
Workplace Violence & Harassment
US Department of Labor
Workplace Bullying Institute
Resources for survivors
Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment can be:
- unwelcome sexual moves
- asking for sexual favors
- other words or actions of a sexual nature
- touching people without asking
- telling dirty jokes
- saying things about a person’s clothes
- showing sexual pictures or images
- name calling
Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Guidelines – Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (pdf)
Sexual Survivor Support Packet (.pdf)
MASS Advocates Standing Strong
Mass.gov About Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
Learn about what activities are considered sexual harassment in the workplace. Your rights are protected by the MCAD.
Facts About Sexual Harassment
US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Sexual Harassment at Work and On the Street – Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN)
Know Your Rights: Workplace Sexual Harassment
Sexual Assault and Harrassment
American Psychological Association (APA)
Fact Sheet last updated on: 11/19/2024
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Disclaimer: INDEX is pleased to provide you this information. Please note, this information is not comprehensive, nor is it intended to take the place of professional advice. We encourage you to check other resources of such information. No endorsement by the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, DisabilityInfo.org, INDEX, or affiliates, should be inferred. We reserve the right to remove, to modify, or to add any information at any time, for any reason, and without notice.
