What is bullying?

Bullying is a form of aggression in which someone repeatedly and intentionally tries to hurt another person. This can occur both online and offline, and can be physical or verbal. Several people are involved in bullying: the bully, the person being bullied, and bystanders. The bully is usually not alone, but the person being bullied often is.

Being bullied can cause various mental problems such as stress, anxiety, loneliness, shame, and a lack of self-confidence. Bullying is often associated with children, but it also occurs among adults. Unfortunately, bullying also occurs in the workplace. It often manifests itself in name-calling, intimidation, exclusion, and withholding important information.

Research by TNO in 2017 showed that more than half a million employees in the Netherlands were victims of bullying. Of these, 80,000 were bullied on a structural basis.