In the United States, the definition of bullying has expanded beyond traditional notions of a

bigger, stronger child picking on a smaller, weaker victim and typically includes four key
elements. The first part of the definition now includes significant physical, emotional, or
psychological harm to the victim. The second is the inability of the victim to stop the bully on his
or her own. The third is a power imbalance in which the bully holds more emotional, physical, or
social influence than the victim. The last is repetitive actions committed by the bully that
continue for an extended period.

divide bullying behavior into four main types:

• Physical bullying: Bullies physically assault their victims or intimidate their victims
with the threat of physical violence.
• Verbal bullying: Bullies mock, shame, and verbally abuse victims with the intent
of causing fear or feelings of self-deprecation.
• Social or emotional bullying: Bullies initiate or spread harmful gossip, or
intentionally exclude others with the intent of harming or destroying the victim's
reputation or social standing.
• Cyberbullying: Bullies use electronic media, including social networks, instant
messaging, text messaging, Internet forums, smartphone applications, and email
(among other media) to target victims with text-based equivalents of verbal
bullying, or social or emotional forms of bullying.
As reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2018, bullying is a
common phenomenon in US schools. According to the report, one in five high school students
reported being bullied on school grounds in the twelve-month period prior to being surveyed.
Victimization rates are higher for female students (22 percent) than male students (16 percent).
A 2018 report from the National Center for Education Statistics found higher victimization rates
among middle school students (30 percent of sixth graders and 25 percent of eighth graders)
than older students (15 percent of eleventh graders and 12 percent of twelfth graders).
Differences were also noted among students in urban and nonurban environments, with 18
percent of students at urban schools, 20 percent of students at suburban schools, and 27
percent of students at rural schools reporting being bullied. Among racial and ethnic groups, 27
percent of American Indian and Alaska Native students, 23 percent of students of two or more
races, 23 percent of black students, 23 percent of white students, 16 percent of Hispanic
students, and 7 percent of Asian students reported being bullied.

Impact and Outcomes

The consequences of bullying can be serious and long-lasting. Young people who are
bullied are at increased risk for negative psychological and emotional impacts including
anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, alcohol and drug abuse, hostility, delinquency,
self-harming behavior (particularly for girls), and violent or criminal behavior (particularly
for boys). Those who are severely bullied are also statistically more likely to attempt or
commit suicide, and studies have shown that suicidal ideations are particularly common
among bully-victims. Bullying can trigger mental health problems in victims who did not
previously have any, and it can exacerbate problems in young people with existing
mental health issues. Research has also shown that bullying victims tend to suffer
declines in academic performance.
Beyond the risk of injury from a bully's physical attack, victims may also experience
physical symptoms such as sleep disruptions, chronic pain, and psychosomatic
symptoms such as headaches, stomach aches, heart palpitations, and dizziness.
Bullying victims also tend to produce higher levels of the stress-related hormone
cortisol, which can interfere with normal brain function. Some researchers theorize that
heightened cortisol levels may explain some of the behavioral issues associated with
victimization, such as acting out and showing aggression toward peers, siblings, or
parents.

Prevention and Intervention

Experts often refer to a phenomenon known as the bystander effect to help explain why
witnesses may not intervene to stop a bully from harassing a victim. A bystander is
understood to be someone who is aware that bullying is taking place, but takes no
action to stop it, chooses not to report it, or ignores it altogether.
The bystander effect usually occurs as the result of one or more of four factors: the
witness believes that the incident is not their concern or none of their business and thus
elects not to get involved; the witness believes, correctly or incorrectly, that intervening
may draw negative attention from the bully and make the witness more likely to become
the bully's next target; the witness does not want to violate unwritten codes of conduct
among students by telling an authority figure what is happening; and the witness
believes that intervening will neither stop the bully nor help the victim.
To help counteract the bystander effect, many schools have introduced what are
commonly referred to as bystander intervention programs. These programs include
specific, actionable steps students are encouraged to take if they witness bullying. They
are built on fostering a general school environment that promotes community values
and interconnectedness, and they teach students the difference between "telling on
someone" and "reporting a pattern of problem behavior." Such initiatives also work to
create empathy between bystanders and victims, and to set up peer monitoring
networks to prevent bullying when adult supervisors are not present. They also aim to
empower witnesses and bystanders so that they feel more able to come forward.
Protective strategies recommended by StopBullying.gov, a website of the US
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), include maintaining positive
relationships with teachers, building healthy friendships, and avoiding unsupervised
areas of the school or playground. Recent studies have also given rise to a newer set of
strategies such as using humor to defuse tense interpersonal situations and having a
potential victim "own" or acknowledge a bully's hurtful statement to reduce its perceived
impact. More traditional responses, including pretending to be unaffected and walking
away from the situation, continue to be recommended. Responding with aggression or
mocking are not recommended, as either may trigger the bully to escalate the situation.

Antibullying Laws and Policies

In the United States, there are no federal statutes that specifically address bullying.
However, many types of bullying behavior are covered under existing federal-level
harassment and discrimination laws. Schools can be found legally responsible for
student conduct if bullying is based on gender, sexual orientation, race, religion,
ethnicity, or a physical or mental disability.

Reference:
Scholarly Articles on Bullying in Schools: History & Prevention (gale.com)