bullying essay plan

Home ➔ Free Essay Examples ➔ Bullying Essay

Bullying Essay – Writing Guide

A bullying essay is a piece of writing that explores the issue of bullying, its causes, effects, and possible solutions. Bullying is a widespread problem that affects people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds. It is a form of aggressive behavior that can be physical, verbal, or psychological, and is often repeated over time. Bullying can significantly impact the mental and emotional well-being of those affected, leading to anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and even suicide.

A bullying essay is an assignment that students can be required to write at all education levels. The problem of bullying is pervasive in schools and has many facets that must be addressed with equal consideration. That’s why there are many things you can write about in your essay on bullying. Read on to see a short essay example on this topic with a few comments and some topics you can use as examples for this assignment.

The bullying paper example below is divided into three core elements: introduction, body, and conclusion. Each part is followed by a short analysis of that part.

Bullying Essay Example (with commentaries)

Topic: The Three Major Effects of Bullying in Schools

Type: Informative Essay

Introduction

Bullying in schools has remained constant from decade to decade. Bullying is terrible for children in schools and can have various detrimental effects. According to the Centers for Disease Control and the Department of Education, bullying comprises three core elements: unwanted aggressive behavior, observed or perceived power imbalance, and repetition or high likelihood of repetition. It is alarming that almost 20% of students aged 12 to 18 experience bullying nationwide. School bullying can adversely affect kids, including health conditions, learning problems, low self-esteem, and mental health issues.

Introduction analysis:

The introduction oof this essay provides background information on bullying. Then, the writer uses statistics from credible sources as an attention hook, which is one of the good ways to start an essay. And it ends with a thesis statement that states the three main aspects that will be discussed in the essay. However, it lacks a proper transition between the hook and the thesis statement.

Body paragraphs

The first and one of the major negative effects of bullying in school is its ability to wreak havoc on a child’s health and well-being. Aside from physical injuries which may result from physical shoving or pushing, bullying can cause headaches, trouble sleeping, and stomach aches. The mind and body are connected; hence, any stressor to a child’s well-being can manifest as physical symptoms. Bullying may also aggravate pre-existing health conditions like skin, heart, and gastrointestinal diseases. The negative impact on a child’s health is one of the more obvious adverse effects of school bullying.

In addition to affecting the child’s physical health, bullying can cause learning struggles and delays in development. The academic impact on the child experiencing bullying can be overwhelming. Often, one of the first indicators that a child may be experiencing bullying is a sudden decline in grades or poor academic performance. Sometimes, kids are so caught up with how bullying makes them feel that they forget to study, don’t do their homework, or have difficulty paying attention in class and digesting the study material. Bullied children often make excuses to skip school, pretend to be sick, or lie to their parents about attending classes. Overall, the academic impact of bullying is one of the worst ones that must be considered when tackling the problem.

To make matters worse, besides negative physical health outcomes and unsatisfactory grades or a decline in academic achievement, kids who experience bullying in schools also suffer from poor self-esteem and mental health effects. For example, bullied kids tend to experience negative emotions such as social isolation, anger, loneliness, and more. In some cases with high school students, these negative emotions can lead to the misuse of drugs or alcohol. Bullying causes kids to feel poorly about themselves, increasing their risk for depression, anxiety, self-harm, or suicide. These effects can be short-term or long-lasting, even when bullying has ended.

Body analysis:

The body of the essay discusses the three main negative consequences of bullying mentioned in the thesis statement of this bullying essay. Each of these points is elaborated on with specific examples. The language used is clear and easy to understand. However, the essay does not flow smoothly from one point to the next and feels somewhat choppy as a result.

School bullying can have significant and detrimental negative effects on kids, including adverse health outcomes, inadequate academic performance, and mental struggles. Kids who are bullied are more likely to experience a manifestation of health conditions, which may become chronic. Bullying causes kids to be less likely to perform well academically and may cause them to skip class, thereby impacting their learning. Lastly, bullying causes kids to experience unhealthy emotions and poor self-esteem. Bullying is a chronic problem that we must continue to address in schools everywhere.

Conclusion analysis:

The essay’s conclusion restates the three main points of the body and reaffirms that bullying is a serious problem with far-reaching consequences. But, it feels somewhat abrupt and could be further developed at the very end, even though it is an informative piece.

97 Bullying Essay Examples – Here’s a PDF file with more examples of papers about bullying (by various authors). They vary in size and quality, so make sure to analyze them thoroughly.

What to Write About (Topics)

Below, you will find various ideas you can use to write an essay on bullying. The topics are divided by essay type as it will affect how you write and what you write about.

Expository essay : You can educate or inform your audience about bullying or define bullying from your unique perspective. Here are a few topic examples:

• Bullying in Primary and Secondary Schools
• How to Stand up to a Bully Effectively
• What Role Bystanders Play in Bullying Situations
• How to Support Someone Who is Being Bullied
• The Legal Repercussions of Bullying
• Existing Policies and Laws That Fight Bullying
• Best Ways to Handle Bullying for Educators
• How to Overcome the Consequences of Bullying
• Examples of Effective and Ineffective Anti-bullying Programs in Educational Institutions

Classification essay : You can explore and describe the types and subtypes of bullying. For example:

• Bullying in schools
• Workplace bullying
• Cyberbullying
• Bullying of children
• Bullying of teenagers
• Bullying of adults
• Verbal bullying
• Physical bullying
• Emotional bullying
• Racial bullying
• Religious bullying
• Cultural bullying
• Fat shaming

Problem-solution essay : You can explore and describe the possible solutions to bullying. Here are some topic examples for this bullying essay type:

• How schools can effectively address bullying
• The role of parents in preventing bullying
• How we can change the culture of bullying
• How we can support a bullying victim
• How to create a more positive school climate to prevent bullying

Cause and effect essay : You can explore and describe the effects of bullying or the causes that lead to bullying. Below are several topic samples:

• How bullying leads to school violence
• How bullying can lead students to suicidal thoughts
• The long-term effects of being bullied
• How bullying affects the academic performance of students
• The psychological consequences of bullying

Persuasive essay : You can try to take a stance on bullying and persuade the readers to take action. Such a bullying essay could be written on the following topics:

• School shootings: why do school shootings happen, and how can we prevent them?
• Repeated verbal abuse: how does repeated verbal abuse affect bullying victims, and what can be done to stop it?
• Family members: should family members be held responsible for bullying?
• Bystanders: what role do bystanders play in bullying, and how can we encourage them to take action?
• Social media: how does social media contribute to bullying, and what can be done to stop it?

Argumentative essay : You can argue your point of view on bullying or any of its aspects in an argumentative paper. Topic examples:

• What causes people to bully others?
• Can we end school bullying for sure?
• Should people who bully others be punished?
• Is there a difference between boys and girls who bully?
• Is there a link between bullying and poor mental health?

Narrative essay : You can tell your personal story related to bullying (if you have one) or a story of someone you know. Topic examples might include the following:

• How I studied bullying behavior for my project
• How spreading rumors ruined my middle-school life
• How other countries I have been to deal with school bullying
• Why I changed schools five times and don’t have many friends
• How it can get to you even through text messages

Bullying is a serious and growing problem affecting individuals, their families, and communities. It is a complex subject to broach and talk about because it provides little comfort to parents, but it should be discussed to implement strategies to mitigate bullying and its effects. And while it is true that some young people will likely “grow out of” being bullied, it’s also true that some never stop being bullied.

In conclusion, this essay guide on bullying has provided a comprehensive overview of the issue and its impact on individuals. It is a problem that affects individuals of all ages, backgrounds, and walks of life. By working together and taking action, we can help create a world where everyone feels safe, valued, and respected, and where bullying has no place. If you are writing an essay on this topic, this guide can serve as a valuable resource to help you better understand the issue and develop practical solutions to address it. Remember, if you or someone you know is being bullied, speaking out and seeking help is important.

Was this article helpful?

154 Bullying Topics & Bullying Essay Examples

Looking for an exciting research topic about bullying? This problem is very controversial, sensitive, and definitely worth studying

🏆 Top 10 Bullying Topics for Research Papers

📃 bullying essay: writing tips, 🏆 best bullying topics to write about, ⚡ most shocking bullying topics to write about, ✅ simple & easy shocking bullying essay titles, ✍️ bullying essay topics for college, ❓ research questions about bullying.

Examples of bullying can be found everywhere: in schools, workplaces, and even on the Internet (in the form of cyberbullying).

In this article, we’ve collected top bullying research paper topics and questions, as well as bullying essay samples and writing tips. Get inspired with us!

• Direct and indirect bullying: compare & contrast
• The causes of bullying
• Classroom bullying and its effects
• Social isolation as a form of bullying
• Bullying and academic performance
• Passive and active victims of bullying: compare and contrast
• The role of social agencies in bullying prevention
• Public policy for bullying and aggression
• Bullying behavior and psychological health
• Aggressive children and their family background

A bullying essay is a popular assignment in various subjects, including psychology, sociology, and education. Writing an excellent paper on the matter requires more than just in-depth research and planning. Don’t worry; there are some tips that will make writing an essay on bullying much easier:

• Choose a topic that allows analyzing and interpreting the problem. Instead of merely describing what bullying is, try to dig deeper into its causes, consequences, and solutions. If your professor didn’t suggest any topics, you may research bullying essay topics online and select one that would be exciting for you to explore.
• Read sample articles and papers online to see how other students approached the subject. Notice the bits that work and don’t work, and write them out to make the process of creating your essay easier. If you’re struggling with finding enough examples online, you may want to expand your search to discrimination essay topics and materials.
• Research what scholars say about bullying. Articles in scholarly journals are an excellent source of information because they are usually trustworthy. If you’re still in school, your ability to navigate the library or online databases will also impress your tutor. As you start researching, you will find that there is a great variety of studies, and it’s challenging to find the relevant ones. Narrowing down your search would help you to do that. For instance, if you are writing a cyber bullying essay, try searching for social media bullying or online anti-bullying services.
• Include real-life experiences where relevant. Unfortunately, bullying is a common problem in many institutions, and if you haven’t experienced it, your friends or family members probably have. If your tutor allows personal input, explore real-life experiences with bullying. Note the effects, preventive measures that worked or didn’t work, and what a person used to cope with bullying. If personal input is not allowed, you could ask your friends or relatives for ideas and then find high-quality sources that discuss similar problems.
• If you can, be creative about it! A powerful bullying essay example draws from a variety of sources to present material in a creative way and engage readers. Hence, this might be an excellent opportunity for you to include images or graphs in your paper. For example, anti-bullying posters could complement the sections of your work that talks about solutions to the problem. Quotes about bullying coming from famous persons would also be influential, especially if you include them at the beginning of your piece. If you like drawing or painting, you could try to put some of your ideas in graphic form – this will definitely earn you some extra marks! Just make sure to check with your tutor to see whether or not creative input is allowed.
• Structure your paper well to avoid gaps or inconsistencies. It would be beneficial to create a detailed bullying essay outline before you start working. A typical essay should include an introduction, two to three main paragraphs, and a conclusion. The first paragraph of your work should consist of some background information, whereas the last one should restate the points and close up the paper. A good bullying essay introduction should also feature a thesis statement that shows what the piece is about.

These tips will help you to write top-notch essays on bullying, as well as on related subjects. Don’t forget to browse our blog some more to find other helpful materials, including essay titles!

• The Problem of Bullying and Possible Solutions In general, bullying is a critical and complex issue prevailing among children; thus, it is essential to adopt different solutions to tackle it.
• Bullying and Its Effects in Society Secondary research is critical in the development of a background to the research, which helps in determining the validity of the problem and suggested research methodologies.
• Cyber Bullying Issue Therefore, the goal of this paper is to analyse who the victims of cyber bullying are and the influence it has on them.
• Social Influence on Bullying in Schools The theory helps us to understand why the stronger members of the school population are likely to “rule” over the weaker members of the school as described in the social hierarchy concept in the theory.
• Workplace Bullying and Its Impact on People and Society The paper follows a traditional structure with the introduction and body paragraphs that provide essential information devoted to the problem, and improve the understanding of the concept of bullying.
• The Impact of Workplace Bullying The negative impacts of bullying in the workplace develop as a result of ignorance among employees regarding the vice, unreported cases, as well as the negligence of organizational leaders.
• School Bullying and Moral Development The middle childhood is marked by the development of basic literacy skills and understanding of other people’s behavior that would be crucial in creating effective later social cognitions. Therefore, addressing bullying in schools requires strategies […]
• Bullying and Cyberbullying in Modern Society Cyberbullying among adolescents and teenagers is defined as the purposeful and repetitive harm done by one or more peers in cyberspace as a result of using digital devices and social media platforms.
• Is Cyber Bullying Against Teenagers More Detrimental Than Face-To-Face Bullying? Social networking has also contributed greatly to the issue of cyber bullying especially in making it more harmful as compared to face-to-face bullying.
• Bullying on Social Media Platforms It is consistent and repeating, taking advantage of the Internet’s anonymity with the main goal to anger, scare, or shame a victim.
• Cyber-Bullying Is a Crime: Discussion It is easy to see the effects of cyber-bullying but it is hard to find out who is the bully making it hard for authorities to pin the blame on the perpetrator of a crime […]
• Workplace Bullying and Its Impact on Performance Workplace bullying refers to a deliberate, repeated, and continuous mistreatment of a worker or a group of workers by one or more colleagues in the workplace.
• Nature of Bullying In this paper, central focus is going to be on the nature of bullying of children in my hometown, Orlando Florida, how it can be solved, and most importantly; establishing the importance of having knowledge […]
• Cyber Bullying and Positivist Theory of Crime Learning theory approaches to the explanation of criminal behavior have been associated with one of the major sociological theories of crime, the differential association theory.
• Behaviour Management: Bullying The typical behaviors which I saw in the child who got bullied are: The victim of this bullying is physically weak and a soft-natured one.
• Bullying and Child Development Bullying is one of the common vices in schools that influences a lot of growth and development of children. Bullying also affects the ability of children to concentrate in school because they are always on […]
• Moral Development and Bullying in Children The understanding of moral development following the theories of Kohlberg and Gilligan can provide useful solutions to eliminating bullying in American schools.
• Verbal Bullying at School: How It Should Be Stopped This paper highlights some of the best practices that can be used by teachers in order to address this problem. So, this information can be of great benefit to them.
• Fights and Bullying Among Middle School Learners Alongside the positivist philosophy, the research adopted the survey strategy that involved the use of self-administered questionnaires to collect from the participants.
• School Bullying: Methods for Managing the Problem The investigation of relevant studies on the methods for stopping school bullying reveals that the most effective ways of eliminating this type of behavior include providing training for teachers, encouraging students to participate in the […]
• The Effects of Cyber-Bullying and Cyber-Stalking on the Society In particular, one should focus on such issues as the disrespect for a person’s autonomy, the growing intensity of domestic violence and deteriorating mental health in the country.
• Bullying in the Schools Furthermore, the law states that training should be done to the teachers as well as the other members of staff on how to deal with bullying and the law also needs the schools to report […]
• Bullying: Violence in Children and Adolescents Bullying is one of the most common manifestations of peer violence in children and adolescents. Prevention of bullying, cyberbullying included, has to occur in accordance with the IBSE Standards of social and emotional learning.
• Bullying, Its Forms, and Counteractions In addition, it is necessary to support those at the center of this bullying, as this can protect them from harmful effects and consequences.
• Incivility, Violence, and Bullying in the Healthcare Workplace The following step is to gather the team and communicate the necessity of change, assigning some individuals for the positions related to the change, in other terms, a support team.
• Effective Ways to Deal With Bullying in US Schools Teachers should ensure the bully is aware of the improper behavior, why it is improper, and the repercussions of the behavior.
• Network Bullying: School Policy Framework The first step is to have a careful conversation with the student and an assessment by the school psychologist to ensure that there is a fright.
• How to Reduce Bullying in Senior Facilities One of the main reasons an individual may commit suicide due to bullying is because it may make an individual develop a negative self-image after the bullying incident. Some of the major bullying incidences that […]
• Active Shooter and Nursing Bullying Nurses should lock all doors and use tables and other objects to reinforce them to prevent any possibility of the active shooter getting to the patients’ room.
• Racist Bullying Among Black Students in US Universities This research focuses on the impact of bullying and racism among African American students in the country. What are the impacts of bullying and racism among Black students in U.S.universities?
• Bullying and Autism Spectrum Disorder In fact, bullying as a social phenomenon can be characterized as a social and interaction issue; therefore, it is possible to analyze the connection between autism and acts of bullying and inappropriate behavior.
• Eliminating the Problem of Online Bullying Eliminating the problem of online bullying is vital for improving the mental health of adolescents and young adults and allowing them to build their lives free of adverse external influences. It is possible to see […]
• Sexual Bullying in Schools and Its Influence The author states the difference in the mental and physical maturation of girls and boys as one of the core roots of the issue.
• Bullying and Harassment in the Healthcare Workplace This paper is written to explore the origins of discrimination and harassment in the healthcare workplace. Bullying begins early in medical college and residencies; it has been referred to as an element of the learning […]
• The ABC Model of Crisis: Bullying at School The next step is the identification of the nature of the crisis, and thus questions are as follows: Who is bullying you?
• Queer (LGBT) Teenage Bullying at School The importance of this source to the research is associated with the significant role that youth organizations have to play towards minimizing bullying among LGBT students.
• Bullying of Children: Misconceptions and Preventive Measures As a result, the density of shows and articles devoted to bullying creates an illusion that this event appears more often than it does in reality.
• Bullying Behavior and Impact of Hegemonic Masculinity Rosen and Nofziger applied a quantitative research design to explore the relationships between students’ bullying experiences and race, age, and socioeconomic status and identify the frequency of bullying.
• Bullying and Incivility in Clinical Setting The problem of bullying and incivility in a clinical setting can negatively affect the quality of care provided, so it needs to be managed.
• Bullying and Its Influences on a Person It is common for victims of bullying to develop mental health issues, as they were placed in stressful situations and had a constant fear along with depression in some cases. Making friends is one of […]
• “Bullying in Schools”: The Aspects of Bullying In their article, Menesini and Salmivalli examine the current state of knowledge on the topic and thoroughly discuss all of the aspects of bullying.
• Analysis of Bullying and Parenting Style Since the given topic usually refers to children and adolescents, it is evident that their parents hold a portion of responsibility because the adults affect the growth and development of young individuals.
• Hate Crimes – Bullying More than two-thirds of children and adolescents experience bullying and more than one-fourth of them report extreme forms of coercion.
• Bullying Management: Mass Awareness Program Bulletin.”Teachers, trained to help to rebuild trust, confidence, growth, and commitment through mass awareness to arrest bullying in high schools”. The proposed mass action program is meant to promote awareness on the need to stop […]
• An Anti-Bullying Program Integrated With PRAISE by Ackerman I chose to describe bullying because of the importance of the topic and due to my personal interest in it. Education will eliminate most of the reasons for bullying and provide students with the E […]
• Bullying Through Social Media: Methods An Informed Consent Document will be provided to participants prior to the research, explaining the purpose of the study and promising to protect their identity.
• Bullying Through Social Media: Research Proposal The hypothesis of the study is as follows: the role of adolescents in a cyberbullying situation is interconnected with their psychological characteristics.
• Bullying Through Social Media In particular, inequality in the position of the persecutor and the victim is evident – the aggressor can be anonymous, and there can be many of them.
• Bullying of Nurses During the COVID-19 Pandemic Then, the principles of adult learning will be used to develop and implement an information product to improve the nursing workforce’s bullying awareness and the knowledge of healthy conflict resolution in the workplace.
• Bullying in Healthcare Organizations: Impact on Nursing Practice Bullying in business entities is a common phenomenon, but the extent of its influence on the “production process” in healthcare and medicine institutions is only beginning to be recognized.
• Workplace Bullying Among Nurses in the Acute Setting Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the frequency of conflicts between nurses and their colleagues and managers has increased significantly in my workplace.
• Bullying Perpetration Among School-Aged Children Mucherah et al.examined how the school climate and teachers’ sanctions against bullying relate to the risk of becoming a victim or perpetrator of bullying.
• Programming for a Year 5 Class on Bullying As a result, in Lesson 6, they will offer their project addressing bullying behaviour and present it to their class, which is the main aim of the Unit Plan.
• Injury and Violence Prevention: – Bullying The aim of preventing injury and violence from bullying is to enable the student to have a healthy social and physical life that will enable them to perform well in their studies and live healthily.
• Cyber-Bullying vs. Traditional Bullying: Its Psychological Effects The researchers presented the recent statistics in order to illustrate the negative social and psychological effects of cyber-bullying in contrast to the traditional bullying in schools.
• Bullying in the Workplace Old Nurse to New Nurse This unvoiced scourge in nursing is characteristically encouraged by the need of bullies to have a total control of a person. Resignation of nurses due to bullying can lead to shortage of nurses in hospitals.
• Bullying and Peer Abuse Especially at work, targets fear coming to work and this will have an adverse result in the efficiency of the staff in the hospital.
• Bullying in the Nursing Workplace Bullying in the nursing workplace, in this case, causes the one bullied to have a feeling of defenselessness and takes away the nurses’ right to dignity at his or her workplace.
• Cyberbullying and Bullying: Similarities While deciding on fitting and balanced sanctions, it is vital to reflect on the ways in which cyberbullying events differ in effect in comparison to other forms of bullying.
• Protection From Bullying: Methods That Work Because of this, it is vital that parents, teachers, and guardians educate themselves on the nature of bullying and work together to develop effective methods and strategies that would help to overcome the problem.
• Psychology: Social Media and Bullying The purpose of this paper is to discuss the issue of social media and bullying and express the author’s opinion on the matter.
• “Bullying Behavior Among Radiation Therapists” by Johnson and Trad The literature review encompassed a considerable number of sources pertinent to the study and recent enough to be relevant; all the publications were dated within the last fifteen years.
• Human Rights Issues in Australia: Bullying Among School-Going Age and Young People The focus of the topic of the day is on bullying. It is used to prevent or avoid the occurrence of a bullying experience.
• Bullying and Worker’s Harassment in Western Australia In most of the armed services in Australia, new recruits and women are commonly the victims of bullying and harassment despite the fact that it is unacceptable.
• Aggression and Bullying in the Workplace Investigation Aggression, the effects of which are often equated with the death wish, is an instinct like any other and in natural conditions, it helps just as much as any other to ensure the survival of […]
• Conflict Resolution Tactics and Bullying This study is interesting to the extent that it shows how the social environment impacts the development of a child and how it shapes his or her conflict resolution techniques.
• School Bullying: Case Analysis Even today there is no generally accepted definition of bullying but it is thought that when an individual is for a long period of time is exposed to repeat negative actions and behavior by one […]
• Bullying in the Workplace as a Psychological Harassment Another form of bullying in the workplace is physical assault in the sense that if the workers are not at ease with each other and when the rules and regulations are not at all observed, […]
• “Adolescents’ Perception of Bullying” by Frisen et al. The second and the third aims of the study were “to describe how adolescents perceive bullies” and “to describe what adolescents believe to be important in order to stop bullying”, respectively.
• The Long Term Effects of Bullying in Elementary School Wolke and Lereya argue that the problem is that the majority of studies on bullying are cross-sectional and only use follow-ups after a short period of time.
• Workplace Bullying, Salivary Cortisol and Long-Term Sickness Absence The purpose of this cohort-based study was to investigate the extent to which cortisol levels were associated with sickness absence and the relationships between workplace bullying and sickness absence through the prism of cortisol use.
• Workplace Bullying in Australia It is possible to offer several recommendations that can reduce the risk of bullying in organisations. In this case, more attention should be paid to the absence of mechanisms that can protect the victims of […]
• Domestic Violence and Bullying in Schools It also states the major variables related to bullying in schools. They will confirm that social-economic status, gender, and race can contribute to bullying in schools.
• The “Bully-Free” Initiative: Bullying in Education The students need to have a clear idea that bullying goes against the rules of the school and which actions may be considered bullying.
• Free Speech vs. Bullying Laws One of the topical aspects of modern democracy is the freedom of speech expressed in an ability to come up with personal ideas and the lack of restrictions on the right of expression through publicity.
• Gender and Bullying Issues in Nursing A lack of tolerance for workplace harassment and bullying is likely to lead to the deterioration of the situation and further misunderstanding and tension in an organization.
• Bullying and Cyberbullying Among Peers They are facing the dilemma of how to react, whether they have to fight a superior force of the enemy or to complain to teachers and parents, undermining their reputation.
• Bullying in Schools and Its Major Reasons As of now, the most important goal in research studies covering the topic of bullying in schools is to understand the mechanisms behind bullying promotion and prevention.
• Bullying in Schools: Worldwide Study and Survey The parents were asked to rate the frequency of the bullying that their children experience and to describe the experience of bullying that their children went through.
• Bullying Prevention Programs Some teachers and professors claim that their students cannot show their potential in their hobbies due to the limitations they experience because of bullies around them. As it is mentioned above, educators do not control […]
• Bullying and Its Impact Thus, the current paper is dedicated to the issue of bullying and its effects as well as anti-bullying practices as related to peer victimization.
• Dealing With Workplace Bullying According to the report presented by the University of Louisville, workplace bullying is a repeated action of one employee or a group of employees towards another individual or group. Dealing with bullying in the workplace […]
• Bullying Policies in Walton School District and Georgia University The sample bullying policy language in Walton School District is very similar to the language in the policy of the University of Georgia.
• Amanda Todd’s Bullying and Suicide Story She was fifteen years old, and her story created a major uproar in the press, as it showed the true nature of bullying and the effects it has on the person.
• Bullying in America: Causes and Prevention That is why it is important to pay attention to the reasons why bullying occurs and ways in which it can be reduced.
• Bullying, Facts and Countermeasures Whether it is the bully or the bullied, the parents will need to do a lot to see to it that their children are brought up in the best of the behaviors.
• Bullying as Social and Criminal Deviance The most important step in the student’s guide to research that I would need to analyze bullying is defining the topic.
• Bullying and Legislation in Australian Workplace According to the authors of the article, workplace bullying can be characterized as internal violence. According to the authors of the article, bullying is a widespread phenomenon and is a common attribute of many organizations.
• Bullying at Australian School: Causes and Solution The technological breakthrough that was witnessed in the late 90s and the early 2000s also contributed to the development of the phenomenon, sparking the concepts such as cyberbullying and online bullying.
• Workplace Bullying in The Playground Never Ends The primary reason for becoming a bully is primarily seen in fear to lose authority or formal positions in an organization and have more institutional power than that of the targets.
• Bullying and Suicide in High Schools The main limitation of this research is that the scholars surveyed the victims more often. The victims of cyberbullying also had a tendency to be depressed and contemplate suicide.
• School-Aged Children’ Bullying Behaviors It is due to this that the work of Janssen et al.sought to show just how potentially damaging this behavior could be and the potential psychological repercussions it could have on young children due to […]
• College Students: Suicide and Bullying-Methods The analysts used this tool to report the mood of the participants by posting quizzes, which the students answered while filling the questionnaire.
• Childhood Bullying and Adulthood Suicide Connection In this regard, the seriousness of the issue is depicted in research results that indicate that at least 50% of children and youth in the US have experienced bullying situations as either bullies or victims […]
• Girl-To-Girl Bullying and Mean Stinks Program The positive results can be achieved by the implementation of the multiple educational programs, the increase in public awareness, and promotion of the values of the healthy relationships.”Mean Stinks” is exactly the program with the […]
• Association of Parenting Factors With Bullying The lack of the parental support is the main cause of students’ deviant behaviors at school, including the cases of bullying, and those parents who pay much attention to developing their career cannot provide the […]
• The Problem of Workplace Bullying In particular, this paper will include the discussion of the research articles, reports and case studies that describe the causes of workplace bullying and the strategies used by companies in an effort to overcome it.
• College Students: Suicide and Bullying The misconception that bullying is a minor issue among college students has contributed to the high number of students who suffer because of bullying.
• Social Psychological Concepts of Bullying and Its Types Some of the factors that contribute to bullying include poor parenting, economic challenges, lack of mentorship, and jealousy among others. One of the main concepts used to explain bullying is that of parenting roles and […]
• Homosexual Students and Bullying Specifically, the section addresses the prevalence of bullying in schools and the level of bullying in bisexuals, gay males, and lesbians.
• Social Psychology of Violence and Bullying in Schools Bullying is a common phenomenon in schools and it is reported that it results in violence in learning institutions in the end.
• Bullying and Suicide: The Correlation Between Bullying and Suicide Nonetheless, the extensive research shows that the correlation exists and bullying is one of the risk factors for development of suicidal ideas in adolescents.
• Cyber Bullying Reduction Program Table of Activities Activity Significance Assembling parents/guardians, students and teachers to announce and explain the program in the institution To enlighten parents/guardians, students and teachers about the rules and regulation enacted due to the threat […]
• Cyber Bullying Prevention in Learning Institutions: Systematic Approach To start with, the students are provided with ways of reporting their concern to the educational institution, and when the staff members of the institution receive the report, they evaluate the information together with the […]
• Discouraging and Eliminating Cyber Bullying Resources Role of the resource/input Statement forms To facilitate information transfer to the staff Counseling Personnel To arm students against the problem Bullying report system To create efficient internet enhance report system Regulation implementation documents […]
• High School Bullying Effective Responses Emphasis will also be made on the kind of audience to read this article because the contents of this study need to be at par with other similar articles in the journal to be selected.
• Bullying and Suicide Among Teenagers Specific objectives Analyze the causes of bullying among teenagers in the country Analyze the effects of bullying among victims, perpetrators and by-standers Analyze the relationship between bullying in school and suicide among teenagers in the […]
• Bullying as a Relational Aggression This resistance has been one of the obstacles to eliminating the cyber bullying in the schools. Schools and districts have been involved in the Challenge Day activities where children are advised on how to handle […]
• Bullying in the Workplace Organizational leaders have an ethical obligation to ensure that they deal with cases of bullying within the workplace in a professional manner that demonstrates equality, honesty, and high sensitivity to the needs of others.
• Social Bullying in Jeff Cohen’s “Monster Culture” It is clear that his part of character is mostly dominant in the childhood stages, as children are not able to develop a sense of morality and predict the consequences of their actions.
• Cyber Bullying and Its Forms The difference between the conventional way of bullying and cyber bullying is that in conventional bullying, there is contact between the bully and the victim.
• Problem of Workplace Bullying Authority intervention should occur when the employees fail to respond to awareness intervention, and thus decide to continue with their behaviors.
• Problem of Childhood Bullying in Modern Society To begin with, the family which is the basic and the most important unit in the society as well as the primary socializing agent plays a major role in shaping behavior of children include bullying.
• Problem of the Managing Bullying and Harassment in the Workplace Employees in an organization have a specific role that they are supposed to play and this means that there might be shortcomings which should not lead to bullying.
• School Bullying: Causes and Police Prevention It is for this reason that there has been need for the intervention of the community and the government to address the issue of bullying schools lest the school environment becomes the worst place to […]
• Cyber Bullying as a Virtual Menace The use of information and communication technologies to support a deliberate and most of the time repeated hostile behavior by an individual or groups of people with the sole intention of harming others, one is […]
• Does Bullying Cause Emotional Problems? However, the current study was relevant because of this design, for the scope of the study covered as well as the results were accurate, and the conclusions drawn were correct.
• Ban High School Bullying A number of stakeholders contribute to the high prevalence of bullying in American schools. Schools that ignore bullying are a big part of the problem and they need to be held accountable.
• The Problem of Bullying While most states in the United States of America have laws to protect people from bullying, the federal government is yet to enact an anti-bullying law.
• Ethical Case: Facebook Gossip or Cyberbullying? The best option to Paige is to apologize publicly and withdraw her comments. The final stage is to act and reflect the outcome of the choice made.
• Bullying on the Rise: Should Federal Government Enact Federal-Bullying Laws? This paper will thus use both primary and secondary data to discuss the prevalence of bullying in schools and whether the federal govern should enact federal laws to curb the social vice at school.
• Bullying in School Face-to-face bullying is an interesting area of study because it clearly demonstrates bullying in school. Students consider bullying as a school culture even though it is contrary to the school rules and regulations of schools.
• Character Traits of Bullying Despite the fact that such characteristics may differ from child to child, it is the common feature of difference that makes the target children get noticed by the bullies.
• The Issue of Bullying in the Schools It gives me joy to know that the issue of bullying is now a pubic affair since bullying stories were unheard of when I was growing up.
• Troubled Adolescent due to Bullying His lowered self-esteem would make him to observe the common behaviours of the older boys quietly and accept the situation as a cultural practice.
• Workplace bullying: does it exist?
• What are the three key elements of bullying?
• How does bullying affect those who observe it?
• Direct and indirect bullying: what is the difference?
• What families do bullies typically come from?
• Aggressive children: what is their future?
• How to prevent bullying in schools?
• School bullying and domestic violence: is there a connection?
• Cyberbullying: how to prevent it?
• What can parents do to prevent their children from bullying?
• Children’s Rights Research Ideas
• Equality Topics
• Homophobia Topics
• School Violence Ideas
• Respect Essay Topics
• Social Inequality Paper Topics
• Suicide Topics
• Youth Violence Research Topics
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2024, February 22). 154 Bullying Topics & Bullying Essay Examples. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/bullying-essay-examples/

"154 Bullying Topics & Bullying Essay Examples." IvyPanda , 22 Feb. 2024, ivypanda.com/essays/topic/bullying-essay-examples/.

IvyPanda . (2024) '154 Bullying Topics & Bullying Essay Examples'. 22 February.

IvyPanda . 2024. "154 Bullying Topics & Bullying Essay Examples." February 22, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/bullying-essay-examples/.

1. IvyPanda . "154 Bullying Topics & Bullying Essay Examples." February 22, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/bullying-essay-examples/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "154 Bullying Topics & Bullying Essay Examples." February 22, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/bullying-essay-examples/.

• Essay Guides
• Other Essays
• Bullying Essay Writing Prompts & Examples for Students
• Speech Topics
• Basics of Essay Writing
• Essay Topics
• Main Academic Essays
• Research Paper Topics
• Basics of Research Paper Writing
• Miscellaneous
• Chicago/ Turabian
• Data & Statistics
• Methodology
• Admission Writing Tips
• Admission Advice
• Other Guides
• Student Life
• Studying Tips
• Understanding Plagiarism
• Academic Writing Tips
• Basics of Dissertation & Thesis Writing

• Research Paper Guides
• Formatting Guides
• Basics of Research Process
• Admission Guides
• Dissertation & Thesis Guides

Bullying Essay Writing Prompts & Examples for Students

Table of contents

Use our free Readability checker

Bullying is a repeated, physical, social, or psychological behavior that refers to the misuse of power by a person or group towards another individual or people. It is unacceptable in the United States! However, the acts of bullying are typical for the educational institutions, especially high schools. The teachers assign corresponding essays and research papers hoping to prove the harmfulness of this phenomenon to the students. Do not confuse bullying essay and bully essay! We will explain the difference between these two, share some good topics, provide useful writing tips, and present free examples of such papers. There are times when students can do nothing about the homework. It does not mean they know nothing about the offered topic or have no talent - the lack of time is the most common reason. What our academic writing company offers is quality help with writing an essay available online 24/7. Do not miss your chance to improve your grade!  

What Is Bullying Essay?

One may ask, “ What is bullying essay? ” Okay, not all students know the definition of this word because some of them are lucky never to witness school bullying. A bullying essay is an academic paper on the humiliation, inequality, and unfair treatment of a person by another person or a group of people. It is a common phenomenon in the US schools. Bullying is one of the main reasons for the massive school murders. Because this activity may lead to the fatal, dramatic consequences, a bullying essay is one of the most popular assignments.

Working on Bullying Essay Outline

The primary thing to get ready with before writing a bully essay is the bullying essay outline. It is a must in any type of writing. An outline won’t let you get lost during the writing process. It looks like a detailed plan of action, and here is an example:

• The negative aspects & adverse consequences of bullying.
• The victims of bullying: common features they share, reasons to be involved in bullying, and mistakes the victims do.
• Conditions under which bullying takes place.
• The outcomes of bullying.
• Possible solutions against bullying: from the things students should do on their own to the involvement of parents and teachers.
• Conclusion Relate bullying as a story and rewrite the thesis statement from the introduction.

Preparing an Unforgettable Bullying Essay Introduction

In the bullying essay introduction, introduce the topic you are going to discuss. Define the term “bullying” using a dictionary and own words. Show the importance of discussing this issue by starting with an interesting fact or official statistics. The examples of the opening sentences are:

“Between 1 in 4 US students say they have been bullied at school.” “There is no general profile of a person involved in bullying. Young adolescents who bully can be either well-connected socially or marginalized.” 

The rationale for writing an interesting bullying essay introduction is to make it possible to let the reader appreciate the topic and understand its significance.

Tips on Writing a Bullying Essay Conclusion Paragraph

A bullying essay conclusion paragraph should leave the greatest impression on the reader and motivate them to contribute something to the war against bullying. A writer can start with the essay hook or rewritten thesis. Both versions are good to make the reader interested. A student has to develop a conclusion to guarantee a closure for the bullying essay that defines his or her final claim concerning the problem of bullying in schools or an entire community. It is time to stop the anti-social behaviour!

• Offer a final statement that talks about the abusive practices against the person or group of people.
• Provide learning insight to stress the important role of bullying in the life of modern kids. Show the importance of further research. Think about what makes a significant lesson for personal perception.
• Share feedback relevant to the implementation of governmental regulations created to stop the bullying.
• Come up with the recommendations about bullying to let others think about the most effective way of handling the problem.
• List the negative implications of bullying (victim’s physical & mental problems).

Post-Writing Steps

No matter whether you work on a short essay about bullying or a long one, the post-writing recommendations are the same. Do not ignore their importance!

• Look at the format and structure of the paper and fix it if needed.
• Proofread to detect & fix any grammar, spelling, or punctuation mistakes.
• Seek for the tutor’s feedback before revising.
• Apply grammar and plagiarism checking software to get rid of the errors.
• Let your peers or family members read the bullying essay to make sure it is polished.

20 Anti Bullying Essay Topics

An essay on bullying is not limited to defining the term. It has many options when it comes to choosing a specific topic. An essay on bullying may have several categories. One of the examples is cyber bullying essay - the threat of bullying with the help of social profiles and Internet, in general, is high.

• Reasons why teasing may end up bullying.
• Accepting people for who they are - preventing bullying.
• The ways to support people who were bullied in the past.
• The consequences of school bullying.
• Turning for help to the adults.
• Stopping the culture of bullying in the US schools.
• Ways to make students feel comfortable when talking about bullying.
• The problem of standing around and doing nothing to help the victim.
• How other kids may prevent their peers from bullying each other.
• Bullying in person vs. bullying in a group.
• What are the mental consequences of bullying?
• How can students prevent cyberbullying?
• Reasons why some people bully others.
• The way a bully feels once he or she put someone down.
• Family essay : The role of family members in the life of the bullied person.
• Risks for standing up for the one who is being bullied.
• New ways to increase the community’s awareness about bullying
• Describing the episode of bullying from your life.
• Things you would do if someone tried to bully you.
• Different types of bullying.

Each of these bullying essay titles is a good example of the ways to reduce bullying in schools essay. If you still lack ideas, rely on our Topic Generator for Essay . 

Read our free bullying essay examples. They will help to understand the goals of such paper better!

5 Awesome Bullying Essay Examples

Argumentative essay on bullying.

An argumentative essay on bullying is a challenge. A writer has to take one of the positions in the existing debate. Unlike in persuasive paper, there is no need to convince the target audience of your truth, and it makes the mission a bit easier. Here is an extract from such essay:

"Bullying is unacceptable, and many movements exist trying to stop this act of violence and inequality among teenagers. I will formulate an argument towards the problem at hand. Being a student of the high school, I see bullying among students of my age every day. That is why I will express my support in the fight against this phenomenon. Some things change for better thanks to the efforts of our parents and teachers, but the signs of bullying are present in most of the US education institutions. It is inhuman and has to end. Do you think the measures contemporary society takes are effective? I am a former victim of bullying: it happened several times when I was studying in the high school because of my family’s social status. The rest of the students came from wealthy families, and they believed there is no place for “burglars” like me. What they did to me was morally unacceptable. I think the government along with the legal bodies should make school bullying illegal and punish those who commit this crime according to the constitutional law. Such type of crime can have a long-term impact on everybody involved in the act. The experts define several types of this crime. Those are face-to-face like direct name calling; at a distance like spreading rumors; and cyberbullying. To me, the worst one is face-to-face even though experts name cyberbullying as the most dangerous one.”  

Persuasive Essay on Bullying

In a persuasive essay on bullying, a student has to explain his or her position towards the existing problem AND prove it to the reader. It requires more efforts than an argumentative paper. See the example below.

"School bullying is one of the basic issues in many educational institutions. Students may injure or even murder others. It happens in many regions of the world, but it looks like the United States suffer from this problem more than other countries. This type of crime is never acceptable. I have witnessed several acts of severe school bullying in my city, and I do not understand why teachers, parents, and government do nothing special to prevent such cases. Even if the act of bullying has nothing to do with physical injuries or rape, it may lead to the victim’s suicide. That is the purpose of the school bullies. I insist on forcing all shareholders in the education sector to cooperate to decide on the ways of handling and preventing this problem until it gets worse. The shareholders and working personnel are responsible for bullying. They should guarantee the safety of every student. One of the solutions I recommend implementing to fight against school bullying effectively is through special education explaining why this type of activity is to be discouraged and measures to take if bullying takes place on the eyes of other students. The students should understand the problem. Writing a persuasive essay on this topic might be a clue to the solution.”  

Cyber Bullying Cause and Effect Essay

A cyberbullying cause and effect essay should explain the reasons for bullying and the possible consequences. Most of the outcomes are dramatic and even fatal.

"Hitting someone makes a bully feel good. The strongest ones tend to express their significance through humiliating the weak. It is a natural instinct of many people. The primary reason to blame people who are weaker than you is the inferiority complex - the bully is a non-confident teen who feels better when making others look beneath himself or herself. The psychologists name one more reason. One of the main problems that lead to school bullying is the inability of parents to control their children. Those who come from wealthy families believe they will stay untouched. This feeling of permissiveness results in many different crimes and bullying is one of them. The major effect of the school bullying is the dramatic change in victim’s personality. Bullying can make initially happy and mentally healthy people self-conscious, shy, non-confident, or insane. Some of them end up in asylums. The results of bullying are obvious: the person becomes anti-social and keeps away from trying new things. The victims avoid speaking in public or participating in team games. In some situations, a bullying victim can start to have previously absent anxious signs.”  

5 Paragraph Essay About Bullying

Do you need an example of 5 paragraph essay about bullying? Find the solution below - discover more statistics & facts about bullying in the US schools.

"Bullying is one of the most common problems in the US schools. More than seven percent of kids in the 8th grade prefer staying at home once per month because of the school bullying (Banks, 1997). 15% of students are regularly bullied. Some of them are initiated into the bullying practice by the older students. The paper will talk about the definition of bullying, causes, effects, and the ways people can prevent this phenomenon. Bullying exists for ages. In most situations, it involves the School Bus Park, school hallways, and bathrooms, sometimes during recess (Banks, 1997). A bully never attacks alone. Such person prefers being surrounded by some type of minions that follow him/her everywhere. These people, minions, tend to have no personal opinion, and that makes them a treasure for the leader.”  

How to Prevent Bullying Essay

One of the most popular topics is how to prevent bullying essay. People should not close their eyes to the problems of teenagers ! Your essay may sound this way:

“A victor of bullying can do a lot to stop this phenomenon. It is necessary to take measures to protect yourself by evaluating personal strengths and weaknesses. This way, you will know how to resists the bullies. It is critical to develop and implement psychological, defensive tactics to keep away from getting in touch with the bullies. To stay away from bullying, one has to avoid any contacts with the bullies. A potential victim should not show anger in case of the attack - a good sense of humor may prevent the conflict. If bullying happens, the victim must report it immediately.”

So, writing a teenage bullying essay is useful. It helps to study one of the most serious school problems. Bullying essay should unite people in a battle against inequality and unfair treatment in educational institutions. What do you think? 

If you need to share your thoughts on a piece of paper and get the highest grade, contact our professional team of writers. We offer academic solutions for democratic prices!  

Daniel Howard is an Essay Writing guru. He helps students create essays that will strike a chord with the readers.

You may also like

80 Bullying Essay Topics

Table of Contents

Bullying Essay Guide: Topics, Selection, and Writing Tips

Bullying is a topic that has attracted significant attention over the years due to its widespread prevalence and detrimental effects on victims. Primarily observed among school children, bullying often stems from social differences, physical appearances, or an individual’s vulnerability. This article aims to guide you through the process of selecting the best bullying essay topic and offers a plethora of topics to inspire your writing.

How to Choose the Best Bullying Essay Topic?

1. Consider Your Audience: Choose a topic that resonates with your readers. Given the prevalence of bullying, many can relate, including perhaps your teachers.

2. Brainstorm and Collaborate: Discuss potential topics with peers to gauge their depth and relevance.

3. Hook Your Readers: Start with an engaging title and opening line to captivate your audience immediately.

4. Rely on Facts: Ensure you incorporate accurate statistics and facts to build a credible argument.

5. Proofread: Review your essay, refine it, and seek feedback. Ensure all aspects of your chosen topic are addressed. For comprehensive proofreading and topic selection, consider using professional services like writeondeadline.com .

Bullying Essay Topics

General topics:.

• Effects of bullying on victims’ wellbeing.
• Strategies to combat bullying in schools.
• The role of parents in addressing bullying.
• Personal experiences with bullying – as a bystander or victim.
• Legal implications and interventions against bullying.
• Motivations behind bullying behaviors.
• The societal view on bullying: Is it normalized?
• Differentiating between various forms of bullying.
• The impact of teachers’ interventions in bullying scenarios.
• Raising awareness about bullying in educational institutions.

Cyberbullying Topics:

• Factors leading to cyberbullying.
• Overcoming the trauma of online harassment.
• Investigative methods to trace cyberbullies.
• The psychology of individuals who cyber bully.
• Comparing the psychological impacts: Cyberbullying vs. traditional bullying.
• How social media platforms can be breeding grounds for cyberbullying.
• Prevention strategies against online harassment.

Anti-Bullying Topics:

• Effective measures to eradicate bullying.
• The repercussions of bullying on individuals.
• Role of parents and educators in supporting bullying victims.
• Social dynamics contributing to bullying.
• Governmental initiatives against bullying in schools.
• Techniques to confront and neutralize bullies.

General Bullying Topics:

• The psychological aftermath of being bullied.
• The global statistics on bullying: How does it vary?
• The role of school leadership in bullying interventions.
• Bullying and its connection to the rise in youth mental health issues.
• Can bullying be linked to familial structures and parenting styles?
• Bullying in adult workplaces: Is it an extension of school behavior?
• How pop culture and media representation influence bullying trends.
• The economic implications of bullying on society.
• Effects of bullying on academic achievements.
• The role of peer pressure in bullying incidents.

Cyberbullying Themes:

• Anonymity and its role in escalating cyberbullying.
• The dark side of social networking sites: A hub for bullies.
• Laws and regulations against cyberbullying worldwide.
• The role of tech companies in preventing online harassment.
• Digital footprints: How they contribute to cyberbullying.
• The evolution of cyberbullying: Past, present, and future.
• Parental monitoring: A solution to teen cyberbullying?
• The contrast between online and offline bullying personas.
• How educators can equip students against online threats.
• The long-term effects of cyberbullying on mental health.

Anti-Bullying Initiatives:

• School programs that effectively reduce bullying.
• The power of storytelling and personal narratives in bullying prevention.
• Community-driven initiatives against bullying.
• The role of celebrities and influencers in anti-bullying campaigns.
• Collaborative strategies between parents and schools to counteract bullying.
• Importance of counseling services in schools for bullied students.
• Anti-bullying laws and their effectiveness.
• The positive impact of peer-support groups.
• Role models and mentors: Their influence on reducing bullying.
• International anti-bullying initiatives and their success stories.

Bullying Research and Case Studies:

• Detailed analysis of high-profile bullying incidents.
• Cultural influences on bullying behaviors.
• Ethnographic studies on bullying patterns.
• The connection between substance abuse and bullying.
• How do marginalized groups (LGBTQ+, ethnic minorities) experience bullying differently?
• The link between childhood trauma and becoming a bully.
• Comparative studies: Bullying in urban vs. rural schools.
• Evaluating the success of helplines for bullied individuals.
• The role of the internet in both escalating and combating bullying.
• Assessing the impact of anti-bullying mobile apps and digital tools.

Societal and Psychological Perspectives:

• Bullying from a sociological viewpoint: What does it reveal about society?
• The psychological profile of a typical bully.
• Do societal standards and ideals indirectly promote bullying?
• How bullying affects the family dynamics of the victim.
• The cycle of bullying: Can a victim become a bully?

Argumentative Essay Ideas on Bullying:

• Defining a bully: Are they criminals?
• Examining bullying trends across different age groups.
• Gender dynamics in bullying: Do boys bully more than girls?
• Assessing the correlation between bullying and academic performance.
• The link between bullying and suicidal thoughts.

For those who might feel overwhelmed by the wide array of topics, our dedicated team at writeondeadline.com is here to assist. Whether you need help in choosing a topic, writing, or proofreading your essay, our experts are just a click away.

Home — Essay Samples — Social Issues — Bullying — What are The Causes and Effects of Bullying

What Are The Causes and Effects of Bullying

• Categories: Anger Bullying

About this sample

Words: 583 |

Updated: 12 December, 2023

Words: 583 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

The essay analyzes the complex issue of bullying, exploring its underlying causes and the significant effects it has on individuals. The author defines bullying as a repetitive act of causing harm or hurt by individuals or groups with more power to those who feel helpless to respond. The essay delves into the root causes of bullying, highlighting family dynamics as a crucial factor. Growing up in a dysfunctional family with abusive or neglectful parents can lead to feelings of insecurity and anger, which may manifest as bullying behavior later in life.

The essay emphasizes that bullying can have profound and wide-ranging effects on victims. From mental health perspectives, victims often experience anxiety, depression, and various emotional struggles. They may exhibit symptoms such as poor appetite, sleep disorders, and nervous habits. In severe cases, bullying can lead to self-destructive behaviors and even suicidal tendencies.

Video Version

Prompt Examples for the “Bullying” Essays

• Root Causes of Bullying Examine the various underlying causes of bullying, such as family dynamics, jealousy, attention-seeking, and low self-esteem. How do these factors contribute to the development of bullies, and what can be done to address them effectively?
• The Psychological Effects of Bullying Analyze the psychological consequences of bullying on victims. Explore the link between bullying and conditions like anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders. How does bullying affect a person’s mental health, and what interventions can help mitigate these effects?
• Social and Academic Impact Discuss how bullying can interfere with a student’s academic performance and social involvement. Explore the effects of bullying on a student’s school attendance, grades, and participation in extracurricular activities. How can schools and communities address these challenges?
• Prevention and Intervention Strategies Examine strategies for preventing bullying and intervening when it occurs. What proactive measures can schools, families, and communities take to create a safe environment? How can bystanders be empowered to help stop bullying?
• Raising Awareness and Advocacy Discuss the importance of raising awareness about the issue of bullying and advocating for change. How can individuals and organizations work together to combat bullying and its long-term consequences? Share examples of successful anti-bullying campaigns.
• Jan, A., & Husain, S. (2015). Bullying in elementary schools: Its causes and effects on students. Journal of Education and Practice, 6(19), 43-56. (https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1079521)
• Oliveira, W. A. D., Silva, M. A. I., Mello, F. C. M. D., Porto, D. L., Yoshinaga, A. C. M., & Malta, D. C. (2015). The causes of bullying: results from the National Survey of School Health (PeNSE). Revista latino-americana de enfermagem, 23, 275-282. (https://www.scielo.br/j/rlae/a/kbysthNprHBwbVCSZpNb5vQ/abstract/?lang=en)
• Smith, P. K. (2016). Bullying: Definition, types, causes, consequences and intervention. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 10(9), 519-532. (https://compass.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/spc3.12266)
• Thornberg, R. (2010). Schoolchildren’s social representations on bullying causes. Psychology in the Schools, 47(4), 311-327. (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/pits.20472)
• Weinhold, B. K. (2000). Uncovering the hidden causes of bullying and school violence. Counseling and Human Development, 32(6), 1. (https://www.proquest.com/openview/6f5477270563031cf4aa049c68f14717/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=48224)

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Dr Jacklynne

Verified writer

• Expert in: Life Social Issues

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

3 pages / 1534 words

5 pages / 2472 words

1 pages / 523 words

1 pages / 581 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Bullying

In this essay, readers can expect to delve into the pervasive issue of bullying and its detrimental consequences on mental health and well-being. The essay explores how bullying not only affects individuals but also has [...]

Social media has become an integral part of modern society, offering new avenues for communication, connection, and interaction. However, alongside its many benefits, social media also presents unique challenges, particularly in [...]

Bullying is a pervasive issue that affects individuals across all ages and demographics. It refers to the repeated aggressive behavior towards someone with the intention to cause harm, eTher physically or emotionally. Addressing [...]

Bullying is a serious issue that affects individuals of all ages, backgrounds, and walks of life. It can have long-lasting negative effects on the mental and emotional well-being of those who experience it. In this essay, we [...]

Bullying is a pervasive issue that has plagued schools, workplaces, and communities for far too long. It is a destructive behavior that can have lasting effects on individuals, leading to feelings of fear, isolation, and [...]

A middle school counselor at a large, suburban public school in the United States has been meeting weekly for one-hour sessions with a 13-year old male student in the seventh grade for aggressive behavior such as shoving, [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

Login or sign up to be automatically entered into our next $10,000 scholarship giveaway

Get Started

• College Search
• College Search Map
• Graduate Programs
• Featured Colleges
• Scholarship Search
• Lists & Rankings
• User Resources

Articles & Advice

• All Categories
• Ask the Experts
• Campus Visits
• Catholic Colleges and Universities
• Christian Colleges and Universities
• College Admission
• College Athletics
• College Diversity
• Counselors and Consultants
• Education and Teaching
• Financial Aid
• Graduate School
• Health and Medicine
• International Students
• Internships and Careers
• Majors and Academics
• Performing and Visual Arts
• Public Colleges and Universities
• Science and Engineering
• Student Life
• Transfer Students
• Why CollegeXpress
• $10,000 Scholarship
• CollegeXpress Store
• Corporate Website
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• CA and EU Privacy Policy

Articles & Advice > College Admission > Blog

How to Write About Bullying in Your College Essay

Bullying is a sensitive subject you may feel isn't good for your college essay, but here's how and why it could be a great application essay topic for you.

by Kim Lifton President, Wow Writing Workshop

Last Updated: Sep 27, 2023

Originally Posted: Nov 10, 2020

October was National Bullying Awareness Month, and although it has come and gone, anytime is a good time to address such an important issue and answer a question we get asked often: Is it okay to write about sensitive topics like bullying in your college essay? Of course it is. You can write about bullying, coming out, political opinions, death and loss, depression, anxiety, drugs, religion, or any other sensitive topic in your college essay. In fact, you can write anything you want as long as you have a good reason for doing so. But let’s focus on bullying and the ways you can comfortably and impactfully address the topic.

Telling your story

To be effective in your college essay—no matter the topic—you must answer the prompt, show insight, and share something meaningful that colleges might not learn elsewhere in your application. Here are two questions to help you decide if writing about a topic like bullying will work for you:

• Why are you telling this story about bullying?
• What do you want colleges to take away about you after reading your story about bullying? 

Let me give you some context. A few years back, I worked with a young woman on a package of college essays for multiple schools. She chose to tell a story about bullying to answer the fourth Common Application essay prompt : Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma—anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.  

This was the perfect prompt for her topic; she wanted to share something about herself through a challenge she had experienced. She wrote a beautiful story about teaching a five-year-old camper how to handle a bully, connecting to her camper because she was also bullied during middle school. Her story showcased problem-solving skills, kindness, and empathy. 

Related: Mental Health: What It Is and How You Can Find Help  

What her essay did right

This student’s story highlighted growth and learning related to her own experience being bullied. To write her story effectively, she focused on what was learned, not how she was forced to learn it, and how she used what she learned to help one of her campers confront her own bully. In her story, she:

• Answered the prompt
• Showed insight
• Shared something meaningful to her
• Highlighted a positive trait or characteristic  

This student explained in gorgeous detail what the problem was that she cared about (teaching a camper how to cope with a girl who was mean to her) and how she helped solve the challenge (helping the camper ignore the mean girl). The key to this successful essay: She didn’t focus on the bullying; instead, she focused on her personal growth and problem-solving skills—something she learned through her own experiences back in middle school. This showcased to admission officers that she learned a lot from a difficult time in her life when she faced insecurities while hanging out with people who were mean to her. And she had grown significantly from that hard time.

This student got into her first-choice college (a highly selective public university) with a fabulous application that included a personal statement focused on a topic that some well-meaning adults might call too sensitive or controversial.

What to keep in mind as you write your college essay

As you make decisions about your own college application essay topics , consider that no topic is off limits if you handle it appropriately. And as you begin the process, always keep in mind:

• What you’re writing about: A story about you (not about bullying or any other controversial topic)
• Who you’re writing for: College admission representatives
• Why you’re writing it: 1) To illustrate something meaningful about yourself; 2) To demonstrate how you think; 3) To help admission officers round out your application package; and 4) To show that this college is a good fit for you and vice versa

Your essay should also be:

• Specific : Don’t write about your entire summer working on a construction site. Choose an important moment or other small piece of that experience, then demonstrate why that moment matters.
• Clear : Speak in your own voice. Don’t try to be funnier, smarter, or more creative than you actually are. Make sure you sound like you .
• Direct : Say what you mean in plain language. This ties back to “don’t try to sound smarter.” Throwing in fancy vocabulary you’ve never used before will only sound inauthentic.
• Unique : Even if your experience seems mundane, the fact that it happened to you makes it unique.

Related: What NOT to Do in Your College Application Essay

Focus on your traits and not just a topic

Too many students get hung up on the topic of their college essay long before they’re even ready to start the application process . They look for huge topics they think will attract attention or activities that might lead to stories, and they devote a lot of time talking about their experiences and accomplishments. That’s why college essays seem so difficult. Students start in the middle without even knowing they skipped the first part of the process.

Have you been thinking about what makes a great topic? Because bullying or coming out or similar subjects are only good topics if you can reflect on them. Do you think you know what you’re going to write about? If so, slow down. What do you want colleges to know about you if you did get bullied? Did it change you? Have you learned anything from that bad experience? Take two steps backward if you plan to start your college essay with a certain situation in mind. Instead, focus on a few traits and qualities that make you great. How would you describe yourself?

• Are you kind? Funny?
• Are you resourceful? Curious?
• Are you industrious? Patient?
• Are you compassionate? Competitive? 

Determine what your best qualities are and how you want to highlight them, then choose a topic or experience you believe will allow you to do just that. Think about my student, the young woman who taught a camper how to face a bully. She knew how because she had been bullied herself. She’s resilient. She’s a problem-solver. She’s mature—and so very kind. If you follow this advice and put the topic aside while you focus instead on your own traits and characteristics, you’ll hit your college essay right out of the ballpark.

Related: Now Is the Time to Start Your College Essay

The college essay is a hurdle all applicants have to face, and students are often afraid to touch on sensitive topics—but it’s absolutely okay as long as you remember your end goal: sharing something with the admission committee that will show them who you really are and why you belong at their school. Focus on what you learned about yourself from the hard experience you want to write about and how it made you grow, and college admission counselors will surely see you for all you’re worth.

For more expert advice on how to write your best college essay, check out our College Admission—Application Essay Clinic section.

Like what you’re reading?

Join the CollegeXpress community! Create a free account and we’ll notify you about new articles, scholarship deadlines, and more.

Tags: application essays bullying bullying awareness college admission college essays

← Previous Post

Next Post →

About Kim Lifton

Kim Lifton is President and Co-founder of  Wow Writing Workshop , which teaches students and educational professionals a simple, step-by-step process for writing effective college essays so they can stand out and tell their stories. Kim supervises a team of writers and teachers who understand the writing process inside and out. Since 2009, Wow has been leading the college admissions industry with their unique approach to communicating messages effectively through application essays, including personal statements, activity and short-answer essays, and supplements. From Farmington Hills, Michigan, Kim is also a board member of the Michigan Association for College Admission Counseling.

Join our community of over 5 million students!

CollegeXpress has everything you need to simplify your college search, get connected to schools, and find your perfect fit.

Heather McCarty

High School Class of 2020

CollegeXpress has helped me with the college application process. The tips and tricks for important essays were so helpful. I also gained useful knowledge about college life. Even though I’m fully online, CollegeXpress has helped me develop a sense of how college is in person. The experiences from college students that were featured on their Instagram page have shown the good, the bad, and the “secret” life on campus from a reliable perspective. Not to mention, they relieved my feelings of anxiety about the workload. I can now understand how it can be stressful, but it takes self-control and willpower to get assignments completed on time and with quality.

High School Class of 2022

My mother signed me up for a couple of scholarship contests through CollegeXpress. I was also able to do some research and compare the different schools on my list. I was able to see the graduation rates and different programs that helped me decide on Adelphi University. I will continue looking for some scholarships for my start in September.

Maya Ingraham

October 2021 Mini Scholarship Winner, Class of 2022

CollegeXpress has given me more confidence in my college process. With easy-to-access resources and guidance such as the CX Weekly Roundup, I have been able to find the best colleges for me. Most importantly, there’s a surplus of scholarship opportunities for every student to support their education.

Jada Bohanon

High School Class of 2021

CollegeXpress has helped me find scholarships for the colleges I applied to. It was very hard for me to find scholarships in the beginning that I was qualified for. My teachers recommended this website to find some, and not only did I find some scholarships but I also got to look into some schools I hadn’t heard of before. I was very happy to have discovered this website, especially with the coronavirus spreading all over as I can’t really go visit many colleges.

Victoria Fuss

March Madness Scholarship Winner, Class of 2022

CollegeXpress has helped me dramatically. Moving on to the next level has been a dream of my mine since I was just a young kid, and the support and help CollegeXpress has given me will help me further my education. I couldn’t be more grateful to everyone at CollegeXpress!

Colleges You May Be Interested In

New York University—Abu Dhabi Campus

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

John Paul the Great Catholic University

San Diego, CA

University of West Georgia

Carrollton, GA

Quinnipiac University

Marymount University

Arlington, VA

Personalize your experience on CollegeXpress.

With this information, we'll display content relevant to your interests. By subscribing, you agree to receive CollegeXpress emails and to make your information available to colleges, scholarship programs, and other companies that have relevant/related offers.

Already have an account?

Log in to be directly connected to

Not a CollegeXpress user?

Don't want to register.

Provide your information below to connect with

Essay on Bullying

Essay generator.

Bullying is a pervasive issue that affects individuals of all ages, backgrounds, and walks of life. It is a problem that transcends geographical boundaries and has profound emotional, psychological, and even physical consequences on its victims. In recent years, the global community has recognized the urgency of addressing this issue and has taken significant steps to combat bullying. This essay aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of bullying, its various forms, the reasons behind it, its consequences, and strategies to prevent and address it.

Bullying can be defined as a deliberate and repeated aggressive behavior that is intended to harm, intimidate, or exert control over another person. This harmful behavior can manifest in various forms, including physical, verbal, relational, and cyberbullying.

Types of Bullying

• Physical Bullying : Physical bullying involves direct physical harm or the threat of harm to the victim. This can include hitting, pushing, kicking, or any other form of physical aggression.
• Verbal Bullying : Verbal bullying includes using words or language to hurt, humiliate, or belittle another person. It can take the form of name-calling, insults, taunts, or spreading rumors.
• Relational Bullying : Relational bullying, also known as social bullying, aims to damage a person’s reputation or social standing. It involves manipulating social relationships, spreading gossip, or excluding someone from a group.
• Cyberbullying : With the rise of technology, cyberbullying has become a significant concern. It involves using electronic devices and social media to harass, threaten, or embarrass others. This form of bullying can have severe consequences due to its widespread nature.

Reasons Behind Bullying

Understanding the motivations behind bullying is crucial for addressing the issue effectively. Some common reasons include:

• Power and Control : Bullies often seek power and control over their victims, using intimidation to feel superior.
• Insecurity: Some bullies may suffer from low self-esteem and use bullying as a way to boost their own confidence.
• Peer Pressure : Individuals may engage in bullying due to pressure from peers or a desire to fit in with a certain group.
• Lack of Empathy: A lack of empathy or understanding for the feelings of others can lead to bullying behavior.

Dealing With Bullying (for Teens)

Bullying is a distressing and challenging issue that many teenagers face at some point in their lives. It can take various forms, such as physical, verbal, relational, or cyberbullying, and can have lasting emotional and psychological effects. If you or someone you know is dealing with bullying, here are some important steps and strategies to consider:

• Recognize It: The first step in dealing with bullying is recognizing it. Understand that bullying can be subtle, and it’s not always easy to identify. It’s crucial to distinguish between a conflict or disagreement and genuine bullying behavior.
• Talk About It: Don’t keep your feelings or experiences bottled up. Talk to someone you trust, whether it’s a friend, family member, teacher, or counselor. Sharing your experiences can provide emotional support and guidance.
• Keep Records: Document instances of bullying, including dates, times, locations, and the people involved. This documentation can be valuable if you decide to report the bullying to school authorities or law enforcement.
• Avoid Retaliation: While it’s natural to feel angry and want to retaliate, avoid responding to the bully with aggression. Retaliation can escalate the situation and lead to more harm. Focus on seeking help and support instead.
• Seek Adult Help: Talk to a trusted adult about the bullying. They can provide guidance, help you report the issue to school officials or authorities if necessary, and ensure your safety.
• Use Technology Wisely: In the case of cyberbullying, protect your online presence by adjusting privacy settings, blocking the bully, and avoiding engaging in any further online conflicts.
• Know Your Rights: Familiarize yourself with your school’s anti-bullying policies and your legal rights. Schools are required to take bullying seriously and take appropriate actions to address it.
• Report It: If the bullying continues or escalates, report it to school authorities and, if necessary, to local law enforcement. Provide them with your documentation and any evidence you have.
• Stay Safe Online: Be cautious with your online presence, and avoid sharing personal information or engaging in online conflicts. Report cyberbullying to the platform or social media site administrators.

Consequences of Bullying

Bullying has profound and lasting consequences on both the victim and the bully. These consequences include:

• Emotional and Psychological Effects: Victims often experience anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and in severe cases, suicidal thoughts. Bullies may develop a pattern of aggressive behavior that persists into adulthood.
• Academic Impact: Bullying can disrupt a student’s ability to concentrate, leading to poor academic performance and school avoidance.
• Health Consequences: Both victims and bullies may experience physical health problems, such as headaches, stomachaches, and sleep disturbances.
• Long-term Effects: The effects of bullying can extend into adulthood, impacting relationships, mental health, and overall quality of life.

Prevention and Intervention Strategies

Efforts to combat bullying should involve a combination of prevention and intervention strategies:

• Awareness Programs: Schools and communities can implement awareness programs that educate students about the consequences of bullying and promote empathy and kindness.
• Open Communication: Encourage open communication between students, parents, and educators, creating a safe space for reporting bullying incidents.
• Strict Anti-Bullying Policies: Schools should have clear anti-bullying policies with consequences for those who engage in bullying behavior.
• Support Systems: Provide support and counseling for both victims and bullies to address their emotional and psychological needs.
• Cyberbullying Prevention: Promote responsible internet usage and educate students about the dangers of cyberbullying.

Bullying is a complex and deeply rooted issue that affects countless individuals around the world. Students participating in essay writing competitions must understand the different forms of bullying, its causes, and the devastating consequences it can have on individuals and society as a whole. By fostering empathy, promoting open communication, and implementing effective prevention and intervention strategies, we can work towards a world where bullying is a thing of the past, and all individuals can thrive in a safe and respectful environment.

Text prompt

• Instructive
• Professional

Generate an essay on the importance of extracurricular activities for student development

Write an essay discussing the role of technology in modern education.

How parents, teachers, and kids can take action to prevent bullying

Preventing and stopping bullying involves a commitment to creating a safe environment where children can thrive, socially and academically, without being afraid.

• Schools and Classrooms

Introduction

Bullying is aggressive behavior that is intentional and involves an imbalance of power or strength. It is a repeated behavior and can be physical, verbal, or relational. While boys may bully others using more physical means, girls often bully others by social exclusion. Bullying has been part of school, and even workplaces, for years. More recently, though, technology and social media have created a new venue for bullying that has expanded its reach. Cyberbullying is bullying that happens online and via cell phones. Websites like YouTube, Instagram, and Snapchat allow kids to send hurtful, ongoing messages to other children 24 hours a day. Some sites, such as Instagram, allow messages to be left anonymously.

Preventing and stopping bullying involves a commitment to creating a safe environment where children can thrive, socially and academically, without being afraid. APA recommends that teachers, parents, and students take the following actions to address bullying.

Teachers and school administrators

Be knowledgeable and observant, involve students and parents.

Students and parents need to be a part of the solution and involved in safety teams and antibullying task forces. Students can inform adults about what is really going on and also teach adults about new technologies that kids are using to bully. Parents, teachers, and school administrators can help students engage in positive behavior and teach them skills so that they know how to intervene when bullying occurs. Older students can serve as mentors and inform younger students about safe practices on the internet.

Set positive expectations about behavior for students and adults

Schools and classrooms must offer students a safe learning environment. Teachers and coaches need to explicitly remind students that bullying is not accepted in school and such behaviors will have consequences. Creating an antibullying document and having both the student and the parents/guardians sign and return it to the school office helps students understand the seriousness of bullying. Also, for students who have a hard time adjusting or finding friends, teachers and administrators can facilitate friendships or provide “jobs” for the student to do during lunch and recess so that children do not feel isolated or in danger of becoming targets for bullying.

Parents of kids being bullied

Observe your child for signs they might be being bullied, teach your child how to handle being bullied, set boundaries with technology.

Educate your children and yourself about cyberbullying and teach your children not to respond or forward threatening emails. “Friend” your child on Facebook and other social media platforms and set up proper filters on your child’s computer. Make the family computer the only computer for children, and have it in a public place in the home where it is visible and can be monitored. If you decide to give your child a cell phone think carefully before allowing them to have a camera option. Let them know you will be monitoring their text messages. As a parent, you can insist that phones are stored in a public area, such as the kitchen, by a certain time at night to eliminate nighttime bullying and inappropriate messaging. Parents should report bullying to the school, and follow up with a letter that is copied to the school superintendent if their initial inquiry receives no response.

Parents should report all threatening messages to the police and should document any text messages, emails, or posts on websites.

Parents of kids engaged in bullying

Stop bullying before it starts.

Educate your children about bullying. It is possible that your child is having trouble reading social signs and does not know what they are doing is hurtful. Remind your child that bullying others can have legal consequences.

Make your home “bully free”

Children learn behavior through their parents. Being exposed to aggressive behavior or an overly strict environment at home makes kids more prone to bully at school. Parents/caregivers should model positive examples for your child in your relationships with other people and with them.

Look for self esteem issues

Children with low self-esteem often bully to feel better about themselves. Even children who seem popular and well-liked can have mean tendencies. Mean behavior should be addressed by parents and disciplined.

Report bullying and cyberbullying

It is important for students to report any bullying to a parent or an adult they trust. Often kids don’t report cyberbullying because they fear their parents will take away their phone or computer. Parents will support their child’s reports of bullying and not take away their phones as a consequence. It is important for kids to remember that bullying is wrong and should be handled by an adult.

Don’t bully back

It may be difficult to not bully back, but as the saying goes, two wrongs don’t make a right. Try not to show anger or tears. Either calmly tell the bully to stop bullying or simply walk away.

Avoid being alone

Whenever possible, avoid situations where there are no other students or teachers. Try to go to the bathroom with a friend or eat lunch in a group. When riding the bus, sit near the front. If you know a student who likes to bully others is in an area where you normally walk to lunch or class, try to use alternative hallway routes.

Remember, report bullying of yourself or other students to your teacher, coach, principal, and/or parent.

Students who experience bullying may feel overwhelmed, depressed, or anxious. If your child or student is having trouble at school or with friends as a result of bullying, a mental health professional, such as a psychologist, can help your child develop resilience and confidence. This will enable your child to be more successful both socially and academically.

Additional resources

• Net Cetera: Chatting with kids about being online
• Stop Bullying Now Campaign
• APA Q and A with Dr. Susan Swearer
• Bullying Research Network

Special thanks to Rosalind Dorlen, PsyD, independent practice, New Jersey Elaine Ducharme, PhD, independent practice, Connecticut Susan M. Swearer, PhD, associate professor of school psychology and licensed psychologist; codirector, Nebraska Internship Consortium in Professional Psychology; and secretary, APA Division 16 (School Psychology)

Recommended Reading

• Cyberbullying: What is it and how can you stop it?
• Stop office bullying

You may also like

• Resource Hub

Put A STOP To Bullying In Your School

At least 28 percent of students 12-18 are bullied at school. As much as 6 percent of students report having been threatened with harm. Maintaining a safe, nurturing school environment for students is any school leader’s top priority. These resources can help you combat bullying in your school. StopBullying.Gov Resources You can find a whole […]

• NAESP Staff

Topics: Education/General , Mental Health and Safety

At least 28 percent of students 12-18 are bullied at school. As much as 6 percent of students report having been threatened with harm. Maintaining a safe, nurturing school environment for students is any school leader’s top priority. These resources can help you combat bullying in your school.

StopBullying.Gov Resources

You can find a whole host of resources from  stopbullying.gov , including  bullying prevention training modules .

NAESP Stop Bullying Bookmark

Print enough for your entire school!

Download this PDF of the Stop Bullying Bookmark  and ask one of your community partners to underwrite the cost of printing enough bookmarks for every student.

NAESP Partnership With Education.com

NAESP’s partnered with Education.com to offer a handy 12-page resource for principals and a town hall meeting at the 2012 NAESP Conference.

• 20 Questions Parents Ask Principals About Bullying…and How You Can Answer
• Bullying Town Hall Shines Light on Complex Problem

NAESP Partnership With Hazelden

The NAESP Foundation’s partnership with Hazelden Publishing, the leading publisher of programs and curricula for youth substance use prevention and violence prevention, gives members access to several resources.

• Bullying 101 for School Principals: What Principals Should Know and Be Able to Do NAESP members have access to the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program through state affiliates. For more information, contact the NAESP Foundation .
• Olweus Bullying Prevention Program This three-hour course addresses how principals can effectively stop bullying and cyberbullying.

Ready, Set, Respect! Toolkit From NAESP And GLSEN

Cut the name-calling in your school with Ready, Set, Respect!, a guide for elementary school teachers on establishing a safe classroom culture. “Ready, Set, Respect!” contains lesson plans on name-calling and bullying, as well as tips on inclusive teaching, intervening in bullying incidents, and promoting respectful recess time. The toolkit is based on GLSEN’s companion study, “ Playgrounds and Prejudice: Elementary School Climate in the United States.”

Download  Ready, Set, Respect!

NAESP  Report to Parents

Report to Parents  is NAESP’s family-friendly bulletin that you can download, photocopy, and send home to your students’ parents and families.

• “Eliminating Bullying”
• “Verbal Abuse—Slurs and Name-calling ”
• “ Cyber-Bullying ”

NAESP Articles

Bullying prevention resources you need to be a better principal.

• No Place for Bullying Principals must take the lead in creating an atmosphere where bullying prevention is a school and community goal.
• Enhancing the Climate of Safety in Your School Once safety concerns are identified, clearly defined behavioral expectations and a code of conduct become part of the school culture.
• Climate-based Strategies for Violence Prevention Some simple, but powerful, strategies can make a drastic difference in the overall climate of your school.
• Addressing the Needs of LGBTQ Youths Middle school leaders must work to ensure that there is a safe and supportive environment for youths of every sexual orientation and gender identity.
• Building Positive Schoolwide Behavior A three-tiered system that actively teaches and acknowledges expected behavior has been implemented in more than 7,000 schools.
• Sticks and Stones; Words and Wounds In her “ Postscript”  column in  Principal  magazine, NAESP Executive Director Gail Connelly addresses the principal’s role in bullying prevention.
• It’s the Law: Cyberbullying Litigation to date on cyberbullying offers quickly evolving boundaries.

Bullying Prevention Policies

California Department of Education Sample Policy for Bullying Prevention

Broward County (Florida) Anti-Bullying Policy

Bullying Prevention Legislation

Analysis of State Bullying Laws and Policies A U.S. Department of Education report that examines how well states’ bullying laws and model policies cover U.S. Department of Education-identified key legislative and policy components and how state laws are being translated into practice at the school level. Nearly every state has a law covering bullying in schools. Here is a sampling of recent legislation:

• New Jersey Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights  (2011) Requires public schools to adopt comprehensive anti-bullying policies, including 18 pages of “required components,” and to file twice yearly reports on incidents. Considered to be the toughest bullying law in the United States.
• Massachusetts Law on Bullying in Schools   (2010) Requires schools to create and implement bully prevention plans.
• Find out how each state is addresses bullying through anti-bullying laws on  stopbullying.gov .

General Resources

• Stop Bullying Now Shares information from government agencies, including the Departments of Education, Justice, and Health and Human Services, on how  kids ,  teens ,  young adults ,  parents ,  educators  and others in the  community  can prevent or stop bullying.
• Safe and Supportive Schools Technical Assistance Center Provides information about the U.S. Department of Education’s Safe and Supportive Schools Technical Assistance Center’s training and technical assistance, products and tools, and latest research findings.
• Bullying in Schools: Guide for Teachers Offers tools and resources for educators with expert advice on bullying prevention.
• Crisis Prevention Download the Bullying Prevention Tip Kit from CPI, an organization created for human services professionals to address the need for training in safe and respectful environments.
• Pacer’s National Bullying Prevention Center Access anti-bullying resources, including educational toolkits, awareness toolkits, and contest ideas.
• Welcoming Schools Guide Offers tools, lessons and resources on embracing family diversity, avoiding gender stereotyping and ending bullying and name-calling.
• Stop Bullying: Speak Up Geared to students, this Cartoon Network site includes sections on what to do and speaking up as well as a comic challenge to make your own stop bullying comic strip.
• The Bully Project A feature-length documentary that follows “a year in the life” of five students and their families who have been affected by bullying. With the film at its center, The Bully Project also is a grassroots movement to educate and empower kids, parents, and school staff, to build strong, supportive, and safe communities.
• Reducing Behavior Problems in Elementary School Classrooms Offers five concrete practices from the U.S. Department of Education’s Doing What Works website to help elementary school teachers reduce the frequency of common types of behavior problems and promote positive behavior.
• Recognizing the Public Schools’ Authority to Discipline Students’ Off-Campus Cyberbullying of Classmates A  New England Journal on Civil and Criminal Confinement  article by Douglas E. Abrams, a law professor at the University of Missouri

Resources In Spanish

• Net Cetera A 56-page booklet from the Federal Trade Commission with practical tips to help parents talk with their kids about staying safe online.
• Kids Health: Helping Kids Deal with Bullies Offers warning signs for parents to have on their radar, ways parents can help kids, and advice for kids.

Privacy Overview

• Customer Reviews
• Extended Essays
• IB Internal Assessment
• Theory of Knowledge
• Literature Review
• Dissertations
• Essay Writing
• Research Writing
• Assignment Help
• Capstone Projects
• College Application
• Online Class

Bullying Essay Topics: 50+ Ideas to Get Started

by  Antony W

December 16, 2023

Are you looking for essay topics about bullying for your next assignment? We’ve put together a list of 50+ ideas to get you started.

Bullying is one of the most controversial issues that get the most attention these days. It’s prevalent in school, playgrounds, places of work, and even in pour very own neighborhood. Bullying tends tend to stem from different fronts, mostly from social differences, religious beliefs, physical appearances, and social differences.

Given how sensitive and common bullying is, it may not be exactly clear to you what topic to work on if you teacher asks you to write an essay on the subject. If this is the case for you, see the topic ideas below to start your brainstorming, research, and writing process.

Key Takeaways

• You should choose a topic that you find interesting based on personal experience or observation.
• Read and understand the assignment brief before you start writing, so you know the kind of essay to write.
• If in doubt, don’t hesitate to ask your teacher for clarification.

50+ Best Bullying Essay Topics

The following is a list of 50+ topics and ideas that you may find interesting enough to explore in your essay about bullying:

Cyber Bullying Essay Topics

• How does the impact of cyberbullying compare to that of bullying in schools?    
• How does childhood bullying affect individuals in their adult lives and what are the potential long-term psychological impacts?
• Behaviors and signs bullied children commonly exhibit and how we can identify and address these indicators.
• How do children typically react when they experience bullying and what are healthy coping mechanisms they can adopt?
• Should children defending themselves against bullies face consequences?
• What role should teachers and school administrators play in preventing and addressing bullying within educational institutions?
• Should schools provide counseling or support services for children who experience bullying?
• How parents can understand and address bullying behaviors at home.

Free Features

Need help to complete and ace your paper? Order our writing service.  

Get all academic paper features for $65.77 FREE

Interesting Essay Ideas on Bullying

• What are the variations in bullying behaviors and patterns between boys and girls?
• How does bullying in schools adversely affect individuals and the school environment?
• Can you share your personal experience with bullying and explain how it affected you?
• Is cyberbullying less harmful than bullying that occurs in physical school environments?
• What are the common characteristics or traits found in individuals who engage in bullying behavior?
• The common traits or characteristics of individuals who often become targets of bullying
• How does experiencing bullying in childhood affect individuals’ lives in adulthood?
• What are the typical reactions and responses of an individual when they become a subject to bullying? 
• What strategies can victims of bullying employ to feel safe and protected within a school environment?
• Can you share your personal journey as a bullying survivor and explain how you managed to overcome it?
• What are the significant signs that parents can look for to recognize if their children are subject to bullying?
• How has the rise of the internet contributed to the increase in bullying and what are the reasons behind this?
• What are some common psychological strategies that bullies use to manipulate and harm their victims?

Cause and Effect Essay Topics on Bullying

• Why do children often target younger ones for persecution?
• How does being subject to bully affect an individual’s mental and emotional well-being?
• What motivates students to target those they perceive as weaker, and how can we address this behavior? 
• How does bullying contribute to a victim’s loss of self-esteem and confidence?
• How does bullying lead to a child becoming withdrawn and seeking solace in a confined space?
• How does the prevalence of bullying lead to an increase in aggressive behavior among students?
• Why are teenagers particularly susceptible to peer aggression?
• Why is verbal bullying a common form of harassment among peers?
• What are the consequences of each act of bullying?
• How does widespread bullying negatively affect the functioning of the youth environment and society as a whole?
• Why do children who experience bullying often develop a reluctance to attend school?
• How does bullying impact a child’s ability to engage with their peers?
• What are the psychosomatic signs that a child may exhibit due to bullying?
• How does bullying often mimic social structures with leaders, an average group, and those marginalized as “exiles”?
• What actions can parents take to create a secure environment for their child and counteract bullying in schools?
• How does the unequal power dynamic between aggressors and victims contribute to bullying?
• Who should take responsibility for addressing both psychological and physical violence at school?

Help for Assessment can write your paper fast and deliver on time.

Easy Bullying Essay Topics

• What are the primary psychological effects that bullying has on adolescents, and how do these impacts manifest in their behavior and mental health?
• Could you analyze successful case studies of anti-bullying programs and their impact on school environments?
• What are the current trends, challenges, and proposed solutions to address the escalating issue of cyberbullying among teenagers?
• What effective strategies empower bystanders to intervene in bullying situations, and how does their intervention affect the outcome?
• How do bullying manifest in corporate environments and what strategies can organizations use to recognize, address, and prevent it in workplaces?
• What are the key factors influencing the correlation between bullying and academic achievement among students?
• Can you share case studies illustrating the impact of social media on bullying, along with the lessons learned from these incidents?
• What role do school policies play in preventing bullying, and how effective are these policies in curbing instances of harassment?
• What patterns and responses differ in bullying behaviors among different genders?

Don’t wait for the last minute. Hire a writer today.

$4.99 Title page

$10.91 Formatting

$3.99 Outline

$21.99 Revisions

Get all these features for $65.77 FREE

About the author 

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

• Our Mission

5 Ways to Stop Bullying and Move into Action

With daily news reports about the devastating impact on students who have been relentlessly bullied, teachers find themselves on the front line in addressing bullying and intolerance.

It is time to move into action. Not In Our School offers solutions-based strategies and tools for change to a network of schools that are working to create safe, inclusive and accepting climates. The core ideas and actions of Not In Our School include:

Identification of Problems of Intolerance and Bullying

The focus is on problems that result from students bullying, harassing or being exclusionary and hateful. Often, harassment is based on gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, appearance, or disability. The first step is to start with a dialogue about the particular problem. Start with a lesson on mapping bully zones .

Solutions Defined by Students and Peer-to-Peer Actions

Students are supported in defining the problems and solutions needed to incorporate peer-to-peer actions, make their schools safe and help bystanders gather the courage to become "upstanders." A student-led anti-bullying assembly is a powerful way to encourage everyone to get involved.

Collective Voice

The entire school community unites to say Not in Our School . This could take many forms -- buttons, banners, slogans, t-shirts, pledges, assemblies and school-wide activities -- but it needs to grow out of authentic discussion and efforts to create a safe and welcoming environment for students of all backgrounds and gender identities. We've created a quick-start download to help launch this effort at your school.

Many activities have been successfully implemented in schools and may be viewed in videos with lesson guides on the Not In Our School website. An array of testimonials from administrators, teachers, and students are available as well.

What is the Urgency?

In three horrifying hate crimes by teens and young adults, a 21-year-old man killed nine African Americans during a bible study group in Charleston, South Carolina in 2015; and high school students murdered a transgender Latina youth in Newark, California in 2002, and a Latino man in Patchogue, New York in 2008. As many as 20 people were involved in or stood and watched the gang rape of a 15-year-old girl outside a Richmond, California high school homecoming dance in 2009. Every day, news outlets report cases of youth who are bullied because they are perceived to be gay.

Bullying can lead to serious emotional problems, multiple school absences, and higher risk factors for suicide. These incidents have raised national awareness with anti-bullying laws in all 50 states that require schools to take immediate action regarding bullying. According to a UCLA psychology study, 70.6 percent of teens have seen bullying occur in their schools. But if someone intervenes, the bullying stops within 10 seconds . Additionally, research from scholars at University of California - Davis found that approaches to bullying and harassment have a better chance of success if bystanders, who make up the vast majority, are the focus of efforts to shift social norms. Interestingly, students seeking to move up the social ladder engage in acts of social cruelty, erroneously believing that it will increase their status. In our PBS film Not In Our Town: Class Actions , middle school students take the lead in educating their peers and their teachers in a NIOS anti-bullying initiative that reached 50,000 students following two suicides of local youth in Lancaster, California.

Five Practical Ways to Stop Bullying and Intolerance

1) Recognize and Respond

Bullying and intolerance manifest as verbal, written or physical acts that harm another person.

• Educate students, parents and staff about taking bullying seriously and how to recognize it. Make an action plan to respond swiftly to incidents and daily teasing .
• Identify and monitor places where most bullying happens (e.g., on the way to and from school, in the cafeteria, and on the school yard.)

2) Create Dialogue

Create opportunities for open dialogue with youth about bullying and intolerance. Let students lead through peer-to-peer action.

• Provide opportunities for students to share their feelings, problems or ideas.
• Get students involved in organizing anti-bullying forums where they resolve problems.

3) Encourage Bystanders to Become "Upstanders"

Upstanders are people who stand up for themselves and others.

• Model ways for young people to intervene and speak up. Practice with role-playing .
• Help youth develop effective phrases to reject negative comments or social media posts.
• Have older students help younger students learn to speak up .

4) Foster Safety and Inclusion

Foster identify safe and welcoming environments that promote inclusion and acceptance, places where students feel everyone is respected and their identity is valued.

• Connect with young people and create the trust that will help them come forward if they are being bullied.
• Listen to them, pay attention and offer support when students are upset or sad.

5) Educate Your Community

Partner with others to take joint action in educating students, teachers and parents about bullying in your school and community.

• Create a coalition of elected, school and civic community leaders to sign a school-wide pledge to say No Bullying: Not In Our School/Not In Our Town.
• Sponsor a "Not In Our Schools" Week with buttons, banners, slogans, t-shirts and school-wide activities .

Not in Our School as a movement and campaign is an effort that asks everyone to change the atmosphere that can lead to bullying and intolerance. Although the process can begin with these five steps, a safer climate for students does not happen overnight. It requires a sustained and collaborative effort of students, parents, educators and community members who work together to model and practice empathy, thoughtful responses and respect for different backgrounds and perspectives. It grows out of authentic discussion and efforts to create a safe and welcoming environment for students of all backgrounds and gender identities. In this lesson idea, " New Immigrants Share Their Stories " students may begin to think about their own relationships in the community.

School needs to be a place where students discover their identities, and where each student feels that a unique identity is an asset to him or her -- and to the world. They need to feel emotionally comfortable in a warm and "identity safe" environment where stereotypes and stereotype threat (the fear of being judged by a negative stereotype) are addressed. Efforts to build empathy and involve students in the process of change can shift the school culture to one where offending or hurting someone else, either in person or online, is not seen as cool. The whole culture can become a warm, caring environment where bullying is much less likely to occur.

Lesson Plan

Oct. 7, 2013, 2:43 p.m.

Lesson plan: Bullying education resources

February 2023 Update : At NewsHour Classroom, we're revisiting this lesson on bullying given the major studies on the youth mental health crisis that have come out in recent years. To learn more, read teacher Sari Beth Rosenberg's Educator Voice piece here .

The resources below are designed to provide educators with a variety of quality materials that they can use in the classroom to authentically teach students about the topic of bullying.

Bullying Education

Estimated Time

Varies for each activity

Grade Level

Middle and High School Activities

1. Warm Up Activity | Crumpled Paper Lesson

(5 minutes)

This short and powerful activity has been adapted from a story that at one point was circulating around the web.

• Either provide paper or have students take out a sheet of their own. As a class, ask for students to volunteer words that describe the blank sheet of paper. For example: clean, smooth, useful, etc.
• Now instruct students to crumple the paper, mess it up, stomp on it, everything except rip it.
• Tell students to unfold the paper, smooth it out and try to get the paper back to its original state. Encourage them to use whatever tools they can to make the paper the same way it was when they started this exercise. After letting the students try to “fix” their paper have them examine it and as a class share words that describe it. For example: dirty, wrinkled, practically destroyed, etc.
• Now ask students to apologize to the sheet of paper- admit all the things you did to it and tell it that you are sorry for what you did.
• Have students to reflect on what they did to the paper and the state that it is now in. Think of how even though they had apologized and did everything they could to return the paper to its original state that that there are still many scars that their behavior had left on the paper and those scars will never really go away completely.
• Now explain to the class that this is the same principle that happens to people when they are bullied. Even if there is a heartfelt apology the scars never completely go away.
• Give students time to reflect on the message and debrief as a class about their reaction to the activity.

2. Lesson Plan | The Heart Exercise for Groups

(50 minutes)

• Place students into group of at least four and give everyone a large sheet of newsprint and markers.
• Explain to students that they are going to do a lesson that you need them to take seriously because the topic of the lesson is bullying and everyone has been bullied before at some time in their life.
• If you want, ask students to close their eyes, put their heads down on their desk and listen for your instruction. Ask them to raise their hand if you have ever been bullied, or made fun of.  You have a choice to either tell the students the number of hands you saw or keep it vague (i.e. I saw a few/several hands just now.)
• Have groups of students read aloud the first section to students as they follow along. Allow students time to complete each section of the Heart Exercise (5-10 minutes each). At the end of the activity have students debrief first with their group by answering the questions ---. Then have the class debrief together and have each group volunteer their answers. You may choose to hang students’ work on the board or wall, so students can see the similarities among the groups.

Bullying: Group heart exercise

• Each of us begins as a baby depending on others to care for us. Imagine that you are holding a new born baby- what words or thoughts come to mind?
• With your group members share these words and write them down inside your group’s heart.
• When you have 10 words in your heart, talk to your group members about the feelings they get when hearing those kinds of words and think of a baby and jot them down.
• Emma’s story: Cyberbullied by a best friend — bit.ly/CSEemma
• Stacey’s story: When rumors escalate — bit.ly/CSEstacey
• “Middle school bullying still affects how I dress” — bit.ly/nolabels1
• “I’m Mexican and people mock how I talk” — bit.ly/nolabels2
• “I’m Guatemalan and people label me as Mexican” — bit.ly/nolabels3

Listen to the stories and for each unkind word/phrase that was said to the students you chose, draw a slash through your heart and write the specific hurtful word on the slash.

3. SHIELDS : When people are called these words enough they often start to believe them and search for ways to shield themselves from the pain. For example, someone who is being called stupid might act silly or avoid asking questions to discourage others from teasing them.

• When you are teased or made fun of, what do you feel like doing?

Think back to the students you heard from the videos and write down ways they coped with bullying.

• For each behavior students used to shield themselves from the pain, draw a shield/line between the hurtful words and the ways that people cope with feeling badly about themselves.
• Can you think of other ways that people your age cope with bad names that may affect their self-image?
• How can putting up walls lead to negative behavior, including things that may numb the pain, but not improve the situation? Do you see examples of people who are coping with bullying around you? What does that look like?

Assessing the effects of bullying

To reflect on your experience answer the following questions:

• Remember how your heart looked and felt in the first part of this exercise? Describe it.
• How did your heart change once it had been called bad names?
• How hard is it to get back to the original innocent heart once walls have been put up to protect it from dealing with the pain?
• How did it make you feel to watch the students in the videos talk about being bullied?

Class debrief

As a class, discuss the answers your answers from "Assessing the effects of bullying." If there are any insights, questions or feelings you want to share with your classmates, use this time to speak about them.

Adapted from a Campus Activism Lesson

3 . Video Resource | Student Reporting Labs

https://vimeo.com/60595316?embedded=true&source=vimeo_logo&owner=10438754

PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs is a national youth journalism program and public media initiative that trains teenagers across the country to produce stories that highlight the achievements, challenges, and reality of today’s youth. This 2013 video about bullying and its affects on middle school students was produced by students at W.E. Putnam Middle School in Birmingham, Alabama.

4. Resources | Learning for Justice

Teaching Tolerance is an invaluable resource for teaching about bullying. Start here with their basics about bullying. For a holistic look at bullying  that addresses the problem of bullying as a behavior that can be changed, read this Teaching Tolerance article, “There Are No Bullies” and try out their Tool Kit designed to help all students create healthy relationships.

For an in-depth lesson and engaging documentary visit Bullied: A Student, a School and a Case That Made History which tells the story of Jamie Nabozny – a bullied student who fought back and won. Jamie (pictured at the right) is also recognized as a human rights defender by the RFK Center for Justice and Human Rights.

5. Resources | American Federation of Teachers Resources

This page houses many resources on bullying for all ages including FAQs for teachers and quality classroom activities.

6. Video Resource | PBS Learning Media

Use this video resource on cyber related topics including online-bullying, freedom of speech and “trolling”. This six minute video clip is suggested for older audiences (grades 9-12) because of the hurtful nature surrounding “trolling.”

7. Video Resource | eMediaWorks

MyFriendRyan is a unique video resource that creates an opportunity for students to learn about their peers with Aspergers and Autism.  Ryan, a student with Aspergers, explains the different ways in which he experiences the world around him with the hope that better understanding will lead to less bullying and more acceptance among other students for all kids on the Autism Spectrum.

Compiled by Katie Gould, Teacher Resource Producer for the PBS NewsHour

Special thanks to Esme Ojeda for City Beat Magazine for the use of her photograph

Recent Lesson Plans

Lesson plan: History of Juneteenth and why it became a national holiday

Explore the significance of Juneteenth and the value of making it a national holiday

Lesson Plan: Political Parties: Two is Company, Three’s a Crowd

The Founders did not intend to create a two-party system and yet that is exactly what has thrived in American history. But what about the role of third-party candidates?

Lesson Plan: Using robotics to support rural communities

A short project-based lesson that weaves arts & sciences together

Lesson plan: Watergate and the limits of presidential power

On August 9, 1974, President Richard M. Nixon resigned from the Oval Office. Use this resource to teach young people about this period in U.S. history.

• government-civics
• social-issues
• social-studies
• lesson-plan

SUPPORTED BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU. ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY:

Copyright © 2023 NewsHour Production LLC. All Rights Reserved

Illustrations by Annamaria Ward

• For Parents
• For Educators
• Our Work and Impact
• About Digital Citizenship
• Digital Citizenship Curriculum
• Digital Citizenship (U.K.)
• Lesson Collections
• All Lesson Plans
• Digital Life Dilemmas
• SEL in Digital Life Resource Center
• Implementation Guide
• Toolkits by Topic
• Digital Citizenship Week
• Digital Connections (Grades 6–8)
• Digital Compass™ (Grades 6–8)
• Digital Passport™ (Grades 3–5)
• Social Media TestDrive (Grades 6–8)

AI Literacy for Grades 6–12

• All Apps and Websites
• Curated Lists
• Best in Class
• Common Sense Selections
• About the Privacy Program
• Privacy Evaluations
• Privacy Articles
• Privacy Direct (Free download)
• AI Movies, Podcasts, & Books
• Learning Podcasts
• Movies to Support SEL
• Internet Safety
• Books for Digital Citizenship
• ChatGPT and Beyond
• Strategies for Shocking News
• Digital Well-Being Discussions
• Supporting LGBTQ+ Students
• Offline Digital Citizenship
• Teaching with Tech
• Movies in the Classroom
• Social & Emotional Learning
• Digital Citizenship
• Tech & Learning
• News and Media Literacy
• Browse Events and Training
• Modeling Digital Habits Teacher Training
• Digital Citizenship Teacher Training
• Student Privacy Teacher Training
• Common Sense Recognized Educators
• Common Sense Education Ambassadors

Training Course: Modeling Digital Habits

Earn your Common Sense Education badge today!

• Family Engagement Toolkit
• Digital Citizenship Resources for Families

Family Tech Planners

Family and community engagement program.

• Workshops for Families with Kids Age 0–8
• Workshops for Middle and High School Families
• Kids and Tech Video Series

• Get Our Newsletter

Teachers' Essential Guide to Cyberbullying Prevention

Topics:   Social & Emotional Learning Cyberbullying, Digital Drama & Hate Speech Digital Citizenship

What is cyberbullying? How common is it? And what can teachers do about it? Get advice and resources to support your students.

What is cyberbullying.

• What forms can cyberbullying take?

How common is cyberbullying?

How can i tell if a student is being cyberbullied, when and how should i intervene in a cyberbullying situation, what's my responsibility as a teacher in preventing cyberbullying, what lesson plans and classroom resources are available to address cyberbullying.

• How can teachers work with families to prevent and identify cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying is the use of digital media (such as apps, text messages, and websites) to intimidate, upset, or harm someone. It includes repeatedly sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, or mean content about someone else on purpose.

Usually, with cyberbullying, there are other people who see cyberbullying happen. In these situations, people can be bystanders, allies , or upstanders . 

• A bystander observes the conflict or unacceptable behavior but does not take part in it. 
• An ally is someone who responds to the bullying situation by supporting the person being bullied (checking in with them, being a friend to them, etc.). 
• An upstander tries to stop the bullying by directly confronting the person who is doing the bullying or by telling a trusted adult.

Cyberbullying differs from face-to-face bullying in several key ways. For one, it can feel harder to escape because it can happen anywhere, anytime. It's also harder to detect because so much of kids' digital media use is not monitored by adults. At the same time, cyberbullying can also be very public: Large numbers of people online can see what's happening and even gang up on the target. Though the target is usually exposed publicly, the people doing the cyberbullying can hide who they are by posting anonymously or using pseudonyms. And since cyberbullying isn't face-to-face, the one doing the bullying may not see or even understand the implications of their actions.

What Forms Can Cyberbullying Take?

Unfortunately, cyberbullying can take many forms . As popular social media apps for young people shift and proliferate, so have the ways kids can harass each other—or become victims themselves. Spreading rumors, sending hateful messages, or sharing embarrassing materials can occur across platforms and devices, but there are some other specific forms of cyberbullying to be aware of:

• Catfishing : Someone sets up a fictional persona online to compromise a victim in various ways, often exploiting a victim's emotions. The perpetrator's goals may be to lure them into a relationship or to intentionally upset a victim, among other reasons. 
• Cyberflashing : When someone receives an unsolicited sexually graphic image, they've been cyberflashed. This can occur on peer-to-peer Wi-Fi networks or Bluetooth Airdrop , in or outside of school. 
• Ghosting : When people cut off online contact and stop responding, they might be ghosting. Refusing to answer someone's messages can actually be a way of communicating a shift or upheaval among a group of friends. Often, instead of ever addressing the issue head-on, people will just ignore the targeted person.
• Griefing : There are people who harass or irritate you in multiplayer video games. They kill your character on purpose, steal your game loot, or harass you in chat. Repeated behavior like that is called "griefing." 
• Hate pages : On platforms like Instagram , teens may create fake accounts to harass victims, posting unflattering photos of their target, exposing secrets, or sharing screenshots of texts from people saying mean things. It's hard to trace who created the account, and the people doing the bullying can simply create a new "hate" page if one is shut down or removed. Sometimes, these anonymous accounts may be collections focused on rumors or other malicious materials targeting students schoolwide. 
• Outing : This occurs when someone reveals someone's gender identity or sexual orientation without their consent. What makes this particularly malicious is the risk this may pose for teens who report higher levels of mental health struggles and are at greater risk for self-harm.

Note that kids and teens probably use all kinds of terminology to describe the digital drama or harassment that's happening, so it's best to just ask questions than to use specific terms.

Reported data on how many kids experience cyberbullying can vary depending on the age of kids surveyed and how cyberbullying is defined. According to a 2022 Pew Research report on teens and cyberbullying, nearly half (46%) of teens reported experiencing at least one type of cyberbullying , and 28% have experienced multiple types, which represents a steady uptick over the last 15 years.

A summary of research by the Cyberbullying Research Center on cyberbullying in middle and high school from 2007 to 2021 indicated that, on average, 29% of students had been targets of cyberbullying. Nearly 16% of students admitted to cyberbullying others.

Yet not all groups of teens are experiencing cyberbullying equally, as some kids are more vulnerable than others . The Common Sense study " Social Media, Social Life " also found that girls are more likely than boys to experience it. A separate study showed that kids with a disability, with obesity, or who are LGBTQ are more likely to be cyberbullied than other kids.

Even if kids aren't the target of cyberbullying (and the majority aren't), chances are high they've witnessed it, since it often happens online and publicly. Common Sense reports that 23% of teens have tried to help someone who has been cyberbullied, such as by talking with the person who was cyberbullied, reporting it to adults, or posting positive stuff about the person being cyberbullied.

Be aware of your students' emotional state. Do they seem depressed? Fearful? Distracted? Pay attention to what's happening for students socially at lunchtime, in the hallways, or in other areas of your school campus. Has their friend group changed? Do you sense a conflict between students? Are you overhearing talk about "drama" or "haters" (two words kids might use to describe cyberbullying situations)? Don't be afraid to check in with students directly about what's going on. And reach out to their support networks, including parents or caregivers, the school counselor, a coach, or other teachers.

Obviously, cyberbullying is something to take seriously. At the same time, it's important to remember that, depending on their ages, kids are still developing skills like empathy, self-regulation, and how to communicate respectfully online. These situations can be learning opportunities for everyone involved.

School, district, and/or state policies might determine what actions you take once you've verified that cyberbullying has in fact occurred. Sometimes the recommended response is different depending on whether the bullying occurred on a school-issued device, and whether it happened outside of school hours or during the school day. Be sure to involve the students' families, school administrators, and counselor as appropriate, to ensure the intervention is effective and follows policy.

Here are a few resources to support teachers and schools in responding to cyberbullying:

• Helping Students Deal with Cyberbullying (NEA)
• Cyberbullying Fact Sheet: Identification, Prevention, and Response (Cyberbullying Research Center)
• Bullying: What Educators Can Do About It (PennState Extension)
• Responding to Cyberbullying: Guidelines for Administrators ( The No Bully School Partnership )

As educators, it's our responsibility to teach students how to use digital media in respectful and safe ways. This includes helping kids learn how to identify, respond to, and avoid cyberbullying. Given the demands on teachers to meet school, district, and state goals, it can be a challenge to figure out where these lessons fit into the school day. Fortunately, as technology becomes part of every aspect of our lives, including how we teach and learn, more schools and districts are giving teachers the time and resources to prioritize these skills. Here are a few ways to approach cyberbullying prevention in the classroom:

• Promote a positive and safe classroom culture. Whether or not you have technology in the classroom, setting norms of respectful communication sends a message to your students about what is and isn't acceptable. Find ways to demonstrate that your classroom is a safe, emotionally caring environment. Provide resources in the classroom to help students identify, respond to, and avoid cyberbullying. This could be tips on how to respond to cyberbullying (for elementary school or middle and high school ) or the phone number for the Crisis Text Line .
• Embrace teachable "dig cit" moments. Step up when you encounter a teachable moment related to cyberbullying or respectful online communication. Encourage students to pay attention to "red flag moments"—when something happens on digital media that makes them feel uncomfortable, worried, sad, or anxious. Explain to students the three ways they can and should respond if they witness cyberbullying: support the target of the bullying (be an ally); try to stop the cyberbullying (be an upstander); and/or tell a trusted adult (report it). It may not be part of your lesson plan, and it may set you off track for a bit, but every time you reinforce anti-cyberbullying messages, you're doing the critical work of cyberbullying prevention. And as hard as it may be to admit, ignoring these teachable moments also sends a message your students will remember.
•   Incorporate lessons on cyberbullying into your existing curriculum. Find connections to the content you're already teaching and make time to address cyberbullying directly. From setting norms of online communication to using historical examples of propaganda and hate speech to discussing a bullying situation in a novel you're reading, the possible connections to cyberbullying can be made with a little planning. And since it's possible someone in class is dealing with cyberbullying, it's helpful to stay attuned and sensitive to students.
• Advocate for a school- or district-wide digital citizenship program. The most effective cyberbullying prevention strategy has to involve the whole community. A fully integrated digital citizenship program gives teachers the time and resources to tackle these topics head-on, provides kids with consistent and frequent opportunities to build their skills, and supports families as they reinforce the messages at home.

The Common Sense K–12 Digital Citizenship Curriculum teaches students about the effects of cyberbullying on both themselves and their larger communities. They are encouraged to take the active role of upstander and build positive, supportive online communities, and they can learn how to cultivate empathy, compassion, and courage to combat negative interactions online.

Grades K–5:

• Putting a STOP to Online Meanness (Grade 2): What should you do if someone is mean to you online?
• The Power of Words (Grade 3): What should you do when someone uses mean or hurtful language on the internet?
• Be a Super Digital Citizen (Grade 4): How can we be upstanders when we see cyberbullying?
• Is It Cyberbullying? (Grade 5): What is cyberbullying, and what can you do to stop it? 
• Don't have time for a full lesson? Here's a quick activity .

Grades 6–8 :

• Digital Drama Unplugged (Grade 6): How can you de-escalate digital drama so it doesn't go too far?
• Upstanders and Allies (Grade 7): How can you respond when cyberbullying occurs?
• Responding to Online Hate Speech (Grade 8): How should you respond to online hate speech?

Grades 9–12 :

• What You Send in "That Moment When... " (Grade 9): How can we act with empathy and positivity when we're online?
• Countering Hate Speech Online (Grade 10): How can we counter online hate speech and xenophobia?
• Online Disinhibition and Cyberbullying (Grade 11): How does online disinhibition sometimes lead to cyberbullying?
• The Consequences of Online Hate Speech (Grade 12): Should online hate speech be censored?

How can teachers work with families to identify and prevent cyberbullying?

The first step is to communicate with your students' families about your expectations in the classroom and explain the skills you're helping students learn related to positive, responsible media use. When parents are informed and on board, they're more likely to reinforce the messages at home.

Since families often look to schools for guidance on dealing with cyberbullying, you can offer them the latest advice and resources on the topic. Spark a conversation by sending home these printable Family Tips or handing them out at meetings with parents and caregivers. You can also share resources in a classroom newsletter, on your class website or social feed, or at your next parent event.

Erin’s work focused on supporting students, teachers, and families for over a decade. As content director for family and community engagement at Common Sense, she provided parents and caregivers with practical tips and strategies for managing media and tech at home, and supports teachers in strengthening partnerships with families. Prior to her work with Common Sense, Erin taught public high school students and adult English learners in Kansas City. Her time as a National Writing Project teacher consultant nurtured her passion for student digital creation and media literacy. She has bachelor's degrees in English and secondary education and a master's degree in instructional design and technology. Erin loves to knit, read, hike, and bake. But who has time for hobbies with two young kids? In her free time these days, you'll find her hanging out at playgrounds, the zoo, and the beach with her family.

Related Content

We All Teach SEL: Empathy Activities and Tools for Students

Resources to help foster empathy in every classroom, every day.

Tips and Resources to Prevent Cyberbullying

Lesson plans and more to help your students recognize, respond to, and avoid online bullying.

7 Easy Ways to Get Families on Board with Digital Citizenship

Make digital citizenship a priority at school and at home.

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Official websites use .gov

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

How to Prevent Bullying

Parents, school staff, and other caring adults have a role to play in preventing bullying. They can: 

• Help kids understand bullying. Talk about what bullying is and how to stand up to it safely. Tell kids bullying is unacceptable. Make sure kids know how to get help.
• Keep the lines of communication open . Check in with kids often. Listen to them. Know their friends, ask about school, and understand their concerns.
• Encourage kids to do what they love. Special activities, interests, and hobbies can boost confidence, help kids make friends, and protect them from bullying behavior.
• Model how to treat others with kindness and respect.

Help Kids Understand Bullying

Kids who know  what bullying is can better identify it. They can talk about bullying if it happens to them or others. Kids need to know ways to safely stand up to bullying and how to get help.

• Encourage kids to speak to a trusted adult if they are bullied or see others being bullied. The adult can give comfort, support, and advice, even if they can’t solve the problem directly. Encourage the child to  report bullying  if it happens.
• Talk about  how to stand up to kids who bully . Give tips, like using humor and saying “stop” directly and confidently. Talk about what to do if those actions don’t work, like walking away
• Talk about strategies for staying safe, such as staying near adults or groups of other kids.
• Urge them to help kids who are bullied  by showing kindness or getting help.
• Watch the short webisodes and discuss them - PDF with kids.

Keep the Lines of Communication Open

Research tells us that children really do look to parents and caregivers for advice and help on tough decisions. Sometimes spending 15 minutes a day talking can reassure kids that they can talk to their parents if they have a problem. Start conversations about daily life and feelings with questions like these:

• What was one good thing that happened today? Any bad things?
• What is lunch time like at your school? Who do you sit with? What do you talk about?
• What is it like to ride the school bus?
• What are you good at? What would do you like best about yourself?

Talking about bullyin g directly is an important step in understanding how the issue might be affecting kids. There are no right or wrong answers to these questions, but it is important to encourage kids to answer them honestly. Assure kids that they are not alone in addressing any problems that arise. Start conversations about bullying with questions like these:

• What does “bullying” mean to you?
• Describe what kids who bully are like. Why do you think people bully?
• Who are the adults you trust most when it comes to things like bullying?
• Have you ever felt scared to go to school because you were afraid of bullying? What ways have you tried to change it?
• What do you think parents can do to help stop bullying?
• Have you or your friends left other kids out on purpose? Do you think that was bullying? Why or why not?
• What do you usually do when you see bullying going on?
• Do you ever see kids at your school being bullied by other kids? How does it make you feel?
• Have you ever tried to help someone who is being bullied? What happened? What would you do if it happens again?

Get more ideas for talking with children - PDF about life and about bullying. If concerns come up,  be sure to respond .

There are simple ways that parents and caregivers can keep up-to-date with kids’ lives. 

• Read class newsletters and school flyers. Talk about them at home.
• Check the school website
• Go to school events
• Greet the bus driver
• Meet teachers and counselors at “Back to School” night or reach out by email
• Share phone numbers with other kids’ parents

Teachers and school staff also have a role to play. 

Encourage Kids to Do What They Love

Help kids take part in activities, interests, and hobbies they like. Kids can volunteer, play sports, sing in a chorus, or join a youth group or school club. These activities give kids a chance to have fun and meet others with the same interests. They can build confidence and friendships that help protect kids from bullying.

Model How to Treat Others with Kindness and Respect

Kids learn from adults’ actions. By treating others with kindness and respect, adults show the kids in their lives that there is no place for bullying. Even if it seems like they are not paying attention, kids are watching how adults manage stress and conflict, as well as how they treat their friends, colleagues, and families.

• Share on Facebook
• Tweet This Resource
• Pin This Resource

Bullying Essay

In this bullying essay worksheet, students find statistics on the internet about bullying and write an essay about their findings or write a letter to the principle explaining what should be done about bullying.

Start Your Free Trial

Save time and discover engaging curriculum for your classroom. Reviewed and rated by trusted, credentialed teachers.

• Collection Types
• Activities & Projects
• Assessments
• Graphics & Images
• Handouts & References
• Interactives
• Lab Resources
• Learning Games
• Lesson Plans
• Presentations
• Primary Sources
• Printables & Templates
• Professional Documents
• Study Guides
• Instructional Videos
• Performance Tasks
• Graphic Organizers
• Writing Prompts
• Constructed Response Items
• AP Test Preps
• Lesson Planet Articles
• Online Courses
• Interactive Whiteboards
• Home Letters
• Unknown Types
• Stock Footages
• All Resource Types

See similar resources:

Writing to an author, using a computer to write a letter- nouns- vocabulary skills, collage to writing, letters from rifka, editing informal letters, creative writing prompts for every season and month, increase kindness, defeat bullying: lady gaga's born this way foundation, jamie nabozny: bullying: language, literature and life, a letter to terry fox, captain keller's business letter.

Cyber Bullying Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on cyber bullying.

Cyber Bullying Essay: In today’s world which has been made smaller by technology, new age problems have been born. No doubt technology has a lot of benefits; however, it also comes with a negative side. It has given birth to cyberbullying. To put it simply, cyberbullying refers to the misuse of information technology with the intention to harass others.

Subsequently, cyberbullying comes in various forms. It doesn’t necessarily mean hacking someone’s profiles or posing to be someone else. It also includes posting negative comments about somebody or spreading rumors to defame someone. As everyone is caught up on the social network, it makes it very easy for anyone to misuse this access.

In other words, cyberbullying has become very common nowadays. It includes actions to manipulate, harass and defame any person. These hostile actions are seriously damaging and can affect anyone easily and gravely. They take place on social media, public forums, and other online information websites. A cyberbully is not necessarily a stranger; it may also be someone you know.

Cyber Bullying is Dangerous

Cyberbullying is a multi-faced issue. However, the intention of this activity is one and the same. To hurt people and bring them harm. Cyberbullying is not a light matter. It needs to be taken seriously as it does have a lot of dangerous effects on the victim.

Moreover, it disturbs the peace of mind of a person. Many people are known to experience depression after they are cyberbullied. In addition, they indulge in self-harm. All the derogatory comments made about them makes them feel inferior.

It also results in a lot of insecurities and complexes. The victim which suffers cyberbullying in the form of harassing starts having self-doubt. When someone points at your insecurities, they only tend to enhance. Similarly, the victims worry and lose their inner peace.

Other than that, cyberbullying also tarnishes the image of a person. It hampers their reputation with the false rumors spread about them. Everything on social media spreads like wildfire. Moreover, people often question the credibility. Thus,  one false rumor destroys people’s lives.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

How to Prevent Cyber Bullying?

Cyberbullying prevention is the need of the hour. It needs to be monitored and put an end to. There are various ways to tackle cyberbullying. We can implement them at individual levels as well as authoritative levels.

Firstly, always teach your children to never share personal information online. For instance, if you list your home address or phone number there, it will make you a potential target of cyberbullying easily.

Secondly, avoid posting explicit photos of yourself online. Also, never discuss personal matters on social media. In other words, keep the information limited within your group of friends and family. Most importantly, never ever share your internet password and account details with anyone. Keep all this information to yourself alone. Be alert and do not click on mysterious links, they may be scams. In addition, teach your kids about cyberbullying and make them aware of what’s wrong and right.

In conclusion, awareness is the key to prevent online harassment. We should make the children aware from an early age so they are always cautious. Moreover, parents must monitor their children’s online activities and limit their usage. Most importantly, cyberbullying must be reported instantly without delay. This can prevent further incidents from taking place.

FAQs on Cyber Bullying

Q.1 Why is Cyberbullying dangerous?

A.1 Cyberbullying affects the mental peace of a person. It takes a toll on their mental health. Moreover, it tarnishes the reputation of an individual.

Q.2 How to prevent cyberbullying?

A.2 We may prevent cyberbullying by limiting the information we share online. In addition, we must make children aware of the forms of cyberbullying and its consequences.

Customize your course in 30 seconds

Which class are you in.

• Travelling Essay
• Picnic Essay
• Our Country Essay
• My Parents Essay
• Essay on Favourite Personality
• Essay on Memorable Day of My Life
• Essay on Knowledge is Power
• Essay on Gurpurab
• Essay on My Favourite Season
• Essay on Types of Sports

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Download the App

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Guest Essay

The Enormous Risks a Second Trump Term Poses to Our Economy

By Robert E. Rubin and Kenneth I. Chenault

Mr. Rubin is a senior counselor to Centerview Partners and was the U.S. Treasury secretary from 1995 to 1999. Mr. Chenault is the chairman and managing director of General Catalyst and a former chairman and chief executive of American Express.

Not long ago, one of us was having lunch with someone who manages a multibillion-dollar fund when the subject turned to the prospect of a second Trump term.

This person was disturbed by many of Donald Trump’s actions and concerned about what the November presidential election could mean. But when it came to one issue — the economy — he was untroubled. “We didn’t do so badly last time,” he said. “There are some things I don’t agree with, but I don’t think it will matter that much.”

We fear this is an increasingly common view. We’ve spoken to many leaders in business and finance who, when it comes to economic policy, are open to the premise that Mr. Trump is a normal presidential candidate.

We strongly disagree. The two of us have been involved in business, government and policy for many years, with more than a century of experience between us. We’ve worked with elected officials and business leaders across the ideological spectrum. And we believe a straightforward assessment of Mr. Trump’s economic policy agenda — based on his public statements and on-the-record interviews, such as the one he recently conducted with Time magazine — leads to a clear conclusion.

When it comes to economic policy, Mr. Trump is not a remotely normal candidate. A second Trump term would pose enormous risks to our economy.

At a time when our country was already on an increasingly risky debt trajectory, Mr. Trump’s tax initiatives during his presidency added an estimated $3.9 trillion to the national debt , according to Brian Riedl of the Manhattan Institute. Mainstream analyses concluded that the result — increasing demand in an already full-employment economy while having a negligible effect on business investment — added very little benefit in the shorter term and virtually nothing in the longer term.

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?  Log in .

Want all of The Times?  Subscribe .

Assistant Dean's Corner / Inside the Black Box

Timeline for the 2025 Application Cycle

Happy July! The J.D. Admissions Office is busy planning the year ahead, and we know many of you are as well. We wanted to share some useful information to help you prepare.

Here is our expected timeline for the 2024–2025 regular J.D. application cycle:

September 15, 2024

J.D. Application Opens

January 6, 2025

First Round of Acceptances

February 10, 2025

Second Round of Acceptances

February 15, 2025

J.D. Application Closes

March 17, 2025

Third Round of Acceptances

May 1, 2025

Deadline to Respond to Offer of Admission

As with past years, we won’t release any decisions until January 2025. Once we have a better sense for what this year’s applicant pool looks like (likely in early January, as we did last year ), we will plan to share deny decision release dates, and dates that we will invite some candidates to join our waitlist.

For those that are hoping to get started on your application, you can find full details on our requirements on our Application Components webpage. We haven’t made any changes from last year’s required materials, and the essay prompts for our two Written Statements remain the same. If you’re still deciding on when to schedule the LSAT/GRE, note that the February 2025 administration is the latest we would suggest taking.

We hope all this information helps to give you the time and space to prepare your application. Interested in connecting with us in-person or on the road next fall? We’ve published dates for our fall travel, on-campus, and virtual outreach on our Connect with Admissions webpage, and registration links will be posted soon. We look forward to getting to know you all in the year ahead!

~ Dean Jobson

Filed in: Assistant Dean's Corner , Inside the Black Box

Contact the J.D. Admissions Office

Website: hls.harvard.edu/jdadmissions

Email: [email protected]

Modal Gallery

Gallery block modal gallery.

Most Americans who vow to leave over an election never do. Will this year be different?

Deirdre Roney wanted an escape plan – a place to go if her darkest fears about America’s democracy came to pass.

The Los Angeles attorney and activist for immigrant and voting rights has worried about a rise of authoritarianism ever since Donald Trump won the presidency in 2016. As this fall’s election drew closer, that anxiety only grew.

Trump has vowed “ retribution” if he wins and a “ bloodbath ” if he loses. Though she says she’s not a high-profile activist, Roney fears political persecution could become a reality. “I would challenge you to find somebody who's as depressed and dark and scared as I am,” she said.

So, this summer, she secured her escape hatch. She and her husband obtained dual citizenship in the Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda in exchange for a development fund investment of about $100,000, she said – a barrier-free overseas refuge to use if she feels unsafe.

“I wanted us to have a place to go,” she said. “I wanted a Plan B.”

The idea of moving to another country to protest a presidential administration or political policy isn’t new – think the Vietnam War or even vows to move following the re-election of President George W. Bush. Even Trump once joked he might leave if Biden was elected. 

Typically, relatively few who vow to leave actually make the move, said Amanda Klekowski von Koppenfels, a University of Kent migration scholar and expert on Americans abroad .

But this year, as voter anxiety hits the red zone ahead of a divisive election contest between Trump and President Joe Biden, there are signs that Americans from a cross-section of society are taking a more serious look at the exits.

Want to leave the US? Here's how to move to Canada, Mexico and Europe as an American.

The percentage of U.S. citizens who would settle abroad if they were able reached 34% in a March 26 poll by Monmouth University, up from 12% since 1995. Monmouth polling officials said they believe the political rancor of recent years likely helped fuel the rise.

For some current and former members of U.S. law enforcement and intelligence community, threats to jail political opponents are driving them to weigh whether they may have to leave to avoid being illegally detained, according to a former FBI director.

A recent survey by the publisher International Living found that 65% of more than 2,700 readers said that concerns about the political climate prompted them to accelerate plans to relocate overseas.

Henley & Partners, a large global residence and citizenship advisory firm, reported this year that wealthy Americans are pursuing backup citizenship or residence abroad at record levels. Motivations for its clients include political risk along with tax or business reasons.

Several other firms that help Americans live or work abroad told USA TODAY that political uncertainty is driving a spike not just in inquiries and but in concrete efforts to secure visas, homes, dual citizenship or foreign work permits – whether to move or to set up a contingency plan. 

David Lesperance, a Canadian tax and immigration advisor whose firm helps people secure dual citizenships or residency abroad, said most of his U.S. clients now cite concerns including political polarization and deadlock, antisemitism, gun violence, threats to LGBTQ rights, fear of rule by “the other party” and retribution by a Trump administration. 

And for some, such moves are also easier in the era of remote work.

“What’s different today is people are acting on it,” Lesperance said, adding that the Supreme Court ruling relating to presidential immunity has further ratcheted up concerns. “They sense the danger is real.”

Whether significant numbers of Americans actually pull up stakes is far from certain. Moving abroad brings the challenges of obtaining a visa and leaving behind family obligations. And some view such sentiments as an overreaction at home when other countries also face new political turmoil.

But it’s an idea that is a growing topic of conversation, especially after a presidential debate that raised new questions about Biden’s suitability and Trump’s repeated falsehoods . Even before that, some said, the urge to escape has spurred calls for advice to friends living overseas.

Justin Knepper, 48, moved from California to Portugal in 2020. Now, he said, “I would say at least 50% of our friends are considering moving” with politics at least a factor for most.

Retirement: More Americans retire abroad. What happens when crisis hits?

Moving to South Africa: ‘We’ve got to get out of here’ 

Ted Baumann’s move last year came after he grew alienated from both political parties.

The 63-year-old worked in nonprofit housing and financial publishing while living in Decatur, Georgia, near Atlanta, with his wife, a pre-Kindergarten teacher, and their daughter.

He watched with concern as reactionary politics gathered steam amid President Barack Obama’s tenure.  He was stunned when Senate Republicans violated a norm by blocking Obama from filling a Supreme Court seat. He said it seemed like “Third-World style politics.”

He worried about how easily some could rationalize such moves. Then Trump won. All around him, he thought political debate had become increasingly vitriolic. 

“I remember waking up the next week and thinking, ‘We’ve got to get out of here,’” he said.

It wouldn’t be a difficult move. Baumann’s wife is originally from South Africa. And he’d previously lived for a time and already had dual citizenship.

But they were settled into their own Georgia community. They both had good jobs and their daughter was headed to high school. And then the pandemic hit. 

While voters had narrowly elected Biden in 2020, it rattled him that nearly half of America supported Trump’s ideas including stolen-election conspiracies that fueled the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

But Baumann – who said he doesn’t identify with either party but leans left – wasn’t thrilled with Democrats either.   

He thought liberals were overly focused on “identity politics, gender, race and sexual orientation – which are all important,” he said, and gave too little attention to pressing economic and other issues.

Over time, he lost faith that elected bodies could tackle everyday issues.

“It doesn't really matter which side you're from. It’s the inability to govern and to legislate and to address issues,” he said. “Because eventually, these unsolved issues are going to come back to bite you. You're going to run out of Social Security, you're going run out of healthcare for the elderly.”

By 2022, he and his wife decided, “This is not where we want to raise our daughter, this is not where we want to be,” he said, putting plans in motion to move to South Africa. 

There were economic considerations involved in their move, too: The cost of living, as well as health care, would be lower. Last year, they left behind their life in the Atlanta area for Cape Town. His daughter entered high school there and “couldn’t be happier,” he said. Baumann now works remotely.

To be sure, South Africa has its share of political struggles and problems, he said. But it felt like a place moving in a positive direction. America, by contrast, seemed to be moving backward.

Moving to Spain: Complicated reasons for going abroad 

Marsha Scarbrough arrived in Spain in early 2017.

Not long before that, she had given an interview to a Spanish reporter back home in the U.S., and found herself on the front page of a Spanish newspaper – dubbed “La Primera Exiliada,” the first exile, following Trump’s election.

Though she opposed Trump, Scarbrough moved at age 70 for a mix of reasons including affordable retirement, less expensive health care and a desire to live abroad, she said. She also wanted to be away from gun violence and other problems in the U.S., she said.

That’s true for most U.S. residents who migrate overseas for multiple reasons such as jobs, spouses or to study, said Klekowski von Koppenfels, the University of Kent expert. But she said politics can play into it. 

“Back when George Bush's handling of the Iraq War was a big political issue in the United States, I spoke with a number of people who had always meant to move to Europe and had always thought of studying in Europe. And then, as the Iraq War rolled around, they were increasingly unhappy with the politics around that. They thought, OK, now's the time for me to go ahead and move,’” she said.

A similar dynamic is in play for some currently considering a move.

Marco Permunian, founder of Italian Citizenship Assistance, has seen inquiries triple this year reaching as many as 250 a day, most U.S. residents looking to relocate, get dual citizenship based on lineage or obtain visas to work, study or retire in Italy or elsewhere in Europe.

He said a “general feeling of instability throughout the country, both politically and socially” is what’s driving many of his clients to seek to move to Europe now.  A minority of them are ready to go immediately, he said, while others “want to have the option to relocate if they have to.”

In France, Adrian Leeds, whose company helps Americans find real estate, said her business has doubled each year since the pandemic. While some Americans are worried about far-right gains in France , she said that pales to clients citing the “fear of Donald Trump and the disaster in the U.S. when it comes to healthcare, gun control, women's rights, etc.,” she said. 

Jennifer Stevens, editor at the move-abroad publication International Living, which conducted the survey showing rising political concerns among readers, has seen it too. 

“People who already had an idea in the back of their minds that they might like to go abroad sometime,” she said, “They're crafting a Plan B because they feel like they just might need it if things go sideways in November and beyond.”

More: Feeling strange about celebrating July 4th amid Biden-Trump chaos? You’re not alone.

But will they adopt Plan B? Klekowski von Koppenfels said a survey she helped to commission didn’t show a significant increase in emigration aspirations between 2014 and 2019 despite an increase in public statements about it.

Gallup found that during the start of the Trump Administration in 2017 and 2018, a record 16% of Americans said they would like to permanently move to another country if they could. That was higher than the average levels during the Bush (11%) or Obama administration (10%). 

Gallup said that while it didn’t ask respondents about political leanings, the surge in Americans' desire to migrate in those years came among groups that typically leaned Democratic and had disapproved of Trump: women, young Americans and people in lower-income groups.  

The percentage of respondents in later Gallup polls who said they'dthey’ve like to move abroad permanently dipped to 13% in 2020 and rose to 17% in 2023, according to data provided by Gallup.

In March of 2024, the Monmouth poll found that of the 34% who said they would settle in another country if free to do so. It asked about political leanings of those who said they would leave: 41% of independents, 35% of Democrats and 22% of Republicans.

If wanting or vowing to leave is most often a political statement, it’s also a source of political fodder.

When Barbara Streisand said she would leave the country if Trump won, the conservative outlet BlazeTV declared that, “For the second time in recent history, the trash is promising to take itself out.” In 2020, one Ohio sheriff mocked celebrities who said they’d leave four years ago but didn't by offering a one-way ticket out of the country . 

And some who want to leave get criticism for leaving the U.S. instead of fighting for change. 

After Scarborough moved to Spain, a man from another European country told her, “ ‘Well, you're just an opportunist. You’re taking advantage of other countries where people have done the work.” But she’d spent years advocating for causes back home, she said. 

“I'm choosing to spend my final years having fun in a place that has solved many of these problems and created a better quality of life,” she said. “At my age, I’ve done everything I can do. Do I need to keep fighting?”

Moving to Europe: Surprising, similar political issues 

Lauren Ell, 36, said people often underestimate the costs and challenges of moving. 

Ell, a Trump-supporting Republican Southern California native who moved to Sweden in 2016 to be with her partner, founded an online group called Nordic Republicans to connect conservatives, who she said are difficult to find in an area where Democrats tend to dominate expat forums.

“When I hear people say, ‘I'm gonna move out of the country, because of the politics there.’ I think it's a bit silly, because it's really difficult if you just want to get up and move,” she said.

Some countries have strict residency policies for immigrants. And obtaining visas, work permits and citizenship often takes time and is costly. 

“And then there’s the politics,” Ell said, noting that Sweden, despite its liberal reputation, didn’t close businesses or mandate certain health measure during COVID, in contrast to U.S. policies she opposed.  “They might be surprised that there's actually similar right-leaning politics in many European countries.”

Indeed, support for right-leaning politicians has been rising in some European countries. In France, a far-right party made historic gains in the first round of hastily called legislative elections, raising the specter of the far-right coming into power for the first time since Nazi occupation in World War II.  In early July, the Netherlands installed a new right-wing government, Reuters reported . 

Alessandra Bloom, 33, who moved from Boston where she worked in restaurant management to Rovigo, Italy in 2021 to seek dual citizenship based on lineage, now works for Italian Citizenship Assistance – and understands why some Americans back home are looking abroad.

“It feels heavy in America. The divide is so strong,” she said. But living in Italy has also shown her that “there are problems everywhere in the world, and no matter where you go, everyone has political troubles.” She added, “I mean, they have just as much conservative politics and immigrant policy that they're debating.”

David Morse, 72,  who once worked as a staffer to Congressional Republicans, said he left the U.S. because of Trump. He moved in 2019 to Norway, where his wife was born.  But he’s found it harder than he'd hoped to leave Trump’s political noise behind: “It’s hard to avoid Donald Trump.”

On TV,  he said, is a regular TV show chronicling Trump news. He’s everywhere on the internet.  And Morse still reads U.S. political news often.

“And I guess that's partly my fault, too, because I suppose I could just not read stuff and turn it off, but I don’t,” he said. Trump, he said, “sort of buries himself into your brain.”

He still plans to vote from abroad, a desire that has helped grow the group Democrats Abroad, an official group with state-level recognition by the Democratic National Committee, whose membership has tripled since 2015, according to a spokeswoman who declined to provide an exact figure. 

But Morse is happy living abroad. In part because he doesn’t see things changing anytime soon. While people moved to Canada to protest the Vietnam War, he said, “it wasn't systematic or fundamental to the American system.” This time, he said, it feels different.

He said he worries about a more violent or widespread version of Jan. 6 if Trump loses, and that democracy’s guardrails will fail to hold up. 

“There's nothing that says that American democracy is permanent and immutable,” he said. “And I fear it's coming apart.”

To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories .

• What Is Cinema?

Monica Lewinsky: In Praise of Alternate Endings, 10 Years After My First VF Essay

Never lose hope.

“I love you. Bye, Felicia !” I texted my friend Katerina on October 27, 2016. The sassy send-off had been in the culture for two decades (a reference from the film Friday ), but it had only crossed our transom that year. We used it affectionately and, therefore, ironically. Unbeknownst to me, it would be our last text exchange. She died unexpectedly on November 1.

Our friendship had been a salvation in the latter half of what I now call my Dark Decade, roughly 2004 to 2014. Though that stretch of time included some moments of joy, they were few and far between. For the most part, I was in a sea of pain, coming to grips with what it meant to have been standing at the center of a political sex scandal in which I was opposing the most powerful man in the world. Coming to grips with the trauma that grew around me, like weeds, as a result of the public revelations of my private life, the ensuing media circus, an impeachment trial. Coming to grips with what my future might look like. Answer: It looked fucking bleak. I was unemployable. And I was Angry.

Katerina, an entrepreneur and activist, was whip-smart about current events, world history, and spiritual matters. She had a roaring, infectious laugh. She was also kind. You would hardly know that less than a decade earlier, in a freak accident, she had broken her back in five places. After being reassembled with metal rods, she was told she’d likely never walk again. “Screw that,” she would say, “pun intended.” She didn’t lose hope and instead insisted on an alternate ending, prognosis be damned. With grit (and some luck), she recovered and did indeed walk again. And she walked tall.

Our conversations spanned the personal and the political. In 2013, as Edward Snowden leaked classified NSA documents, exposing an array of methods the government and European allies used to spy on private citizens, Kat posited that 15 years earlier, the Starr Report had catapulted us all into what she termed the Age of Transparency. We’d had explosive disclosures in politics before: the Pentagon Papers, Watergate , Iran-Contra. But at their core, these were military, political, professional; 1998 was personal. A boss having an extramarital affair with a young subordinate. A politician abusing power. People, under oath, lying about sex. Rumors titillating the Beltway and beyond. All ordinaire. Almost quotidian. But this time was different. As the truth was made public, published in full on the internet, the personal behavior of a private citizen (me)—along with the actions of others, which had typically been obfuscated by power, gender, status, and wealth—was laid bare. And this transparency led to historical and cultural shifts.

Kat made the point that after 1998, for better or for worse, becoming transparent meant becoming Seen—in new and sometimes disturbing ways. And year upon year, we began to peek behind the veil in all facets of life and culture, thanks to the Patriot Act, reality television, the truth about weapons of mass destruction, the advent of social media, Wikileaks, 23andMe, the UK tabloid phone hacking scandal, and on and on.

Kat’s argument was compelling. And a year after Snowden’s data dump, 2014, I would find myself impacted by this Age of Transparency yet again, this time gratefully.

Ten years ago, after a decade of self-imposed silence in which I had retreated from a world that still shamed me, after a decade of involution and integration (and a fuckton of healing), I jumped back into the public conversation. With no safety net. And I found my voice…by writing for this magazine.

In many ways, my 2014 essay, “ Shame and Survival ,” was a social experiment. Vanity Fair and its then editor, Graydon Carter, could have been lambasted for giving someone from a 15-year-old news story, well, 15 more minutes. And not just in a splashy interview, but in a first-person essay in which I allowed myself to be transparent—and unblinking. (The first line was “How does it feel to be America’s blow job queen?”) I was no longer mediated through another’s gaze but stepping forward unabashedly.

And something surprising happened. A generation that hadn’t lived through the Brainwashing of 1998 insisted on reevaluating this story, one that, given government and judicial overreach, given the technological and tabloid explosion, had always been bigger than me and any one of the other players in it. It had always been a story about the culture at large, and why in my original piece I had referred to myself as a social canvas.

What followed was a Big Fat Fucking Miracle™. My life changed, and I’ll be forever thankful.

That doesn’t mean it has been all smooth sailing. Hardly. Over the years, I’ve spoken confidentially to many people who have been publicly shamed and have explained that taking back one’s narrative doesn’t happen overnight and is (annoyingly) replete with plenty of setbacks. While the essay went on to be nominated for a National Magazine Award (I’m not kidding, alongside pieces by Ta-Nehisi Coates and Roger Angell—Angell won), the following month I attended a party in LA and a famous diva asked me, point-blank, if I was someone’s plus-one. When I replied I had been invited, she snarked, “They just let everyone in tonight, didn’t they?” (Yes, really.)

It went on like this. I gave my first major public speeches: at the Forbes 30 Under 30 conference and, several months later, in 2015, at TED in Vancouver. But mere minutes after my TED Talk, “The Price of Shame ,” went online, the level of vitriol, misogyny, and hatred spewed at me in the comments section was worse than anything the TED team had experienced before. (Who knew there were so many ways to say whore ?) Soon I began working with anti-bullying organizations globally. And yet, when one of the groups was being honored at an event, I was asked not to walk the red carpet.

In 2018, I was asked by Vanity Fair ’s newly appointed editor, Radhika Jones, to address the #MeToo moment in an essay in which I unpacked my own thoughts about what constituted consent in a workplace relationship with a quintessential power differential. Shortly thereafter I was disinvited to a philanthropy summit because former president Bill Clinton was a last-minute addition to the roster.

I could go on for hours. If this last decade has shown me anything, it’s that we never know what lurks or enlivens around the next corner. That one essay, where someone took a chance on me, helped set my life on a different course.

My friend Katerina, who is intensely missed, was not as fortunate. One night she had dined out with her husband and developed what became a fatal case of food poisoning. She was hospitalized, sepsis set in, and she quickly passed. But to this day she remains Seen, in all her common majesty, by everyone who encountered her in life.

After all, in the end what matters more than how it all began is how we have been Seen . And as Rumi wrote:

Never lose hope, dear heart. Miracles swell in the invisible.

More Great Stories From Vanity Fair

RFK Jr.’s Family Doesn’t Want Him to Run. Even They May Not Know His Darkest Secrets.

Report: Donald Trump, Famously Beard-Averse, Has Reservations About J.D. Vance’s Facial Hair

An Epic First Look at Gladiator II

Looking for Love in the Hamptons? Buy a $275 Ticket for the Luxury Bus.

The Dark Origins of the True-Crime Frenzy at CrimeCon

Palace Insiders on the Monarchy’s Difficult Year

The Best TV Shows of 2024 , So Far

Listen Now: VF ’s Still Watching Podcast Dissects House of the Dragon

Monica Lewinsky