Bullying vs Harassment
No matter how old you are or how successful you have become, having to face bullying or harassment is still an unpleasant prospect at best. At worst it can destabilize your routine and undermine your self-confidence or even health. If you feel that you might be the victim of harassment or bullying, it is important to know the distinctions between the two and what steps you can take to eliminate it from your life.
Where you are likely to encounter Bullying and Harassment
Bullying ‘“ usually happens in the comfort zone of the bully. This space is almost always at school, the workplace or a space associated with one of the two, such as a parking lot or a favorite bar or diner.
Harassment ‘“ can take place anywhere. It may happen in the same location as bullying, but it can also happen in a neutral or public environment.
Who is likely be Bullying or Harassing you
Bullying ‘“ is generally done by someone whom know you and who knows you. You may not be close, but they will be at least familiar with you and your life.
Harassment ‘“ can be done by someone who knows you but it can also be done by a complete stranger, someone you’ve never seen before and may never see again.
The likely causes of Bullying and Harassment
Bullying ‘“ many studies have been done about the causes of bullying. It seems that people who engage in bullying, both in school and the workplace, do so from a sense of insecurity or inadequacy. In school they will target those they feel are weaker than them. However, in the workplace the opposite is often true and bullying takes place when one coworker feels intimidated by the success of another.
Harassment ‘“ has its basis in herd mentality. People have a tendency to assume that people who are different from their personal norm as bad. Therefore harassment is based on the discrimination of someone due to his or her color, creed, nationality, sex, or sexual preference.
Official actions against Bullying and Harassment
Bullying ‘“ is an internal matter. If you feel you are a victim of bullying, you should document the instances of bullying and then report them to a superior be that a teacher or a boss. Your bully might receive some kind of disciplinary action, but there is no guarantee the bullying will ever stop.
Harassment ‘“ is regulated by federal law. If you feel that you have been harassed, even one time, you can report that incident to a police officer and press charges against the harasser. Many workplaces have a zero tolerance policy on harassment.
Summary:
1.Bullying and harassment are actions taken to make you feel bad about yourself.
2.Bullying usually takes place by someone you know in an environment with which you are familiar whereas harassment can take place anywhere, anytime, and by anyone.
3.Bullying is not considered as severe as harassment because it is usually based on jealousy however harassment is often prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law as it discriminatory in nature.