Bullying vs Harassment
Bullying and harassment are two forms of problematic behavior that can be distinguished from one another. They are often encountered by people in public places such as schools, workplaces, and even shopping malls. Although similar, there are several differences between bullying and harassment. Bullying is typically seen among children and involves aggressive behavior that is considered offensive, cruel, and intimidating. Harassment, on the other hand, is an extension of bullying that occurs among adults and is often seen in the workplace.
Key Takeaways
- Bullying and harassment are problem behaviors often encountered at the workplace.
- Bullying results from insecurity while harassment results from perceived differences based on skin, gender, race, or religion.
- Harassment is punishable under law while bullying often goes on unabated.
What is Bullying?
Bullying can be described as intimidating a weaker person. It occurs when those who engage in bullying perceive some people as better than themselves. This phenomenon is especially observed in school settings. For instance, a group of kids in school may bully weaker students, even physically hurting them. They may throw bags, copies, water bottles, and think of imaginative ways to cause trouble for victims, trying to have fun at the expense of the weaker students’ misery. This can have very negative effects on the child being bullied, as it is a direct blow to the child’s self-esteem. Bullying can be understood as a relationship issue that is difficult to terminate.
What is Harassment?
Harassment can be defined as interfering with an individual. It can occur in a more subtle way at the workplace or other public places. There are instances where people are quietly waiting for their turn to get their items invoiced, and someone barges in from the side and tries to get their purchase invoiced first. You may feel hurt and insulted but cannot speak up because the person or group engaging in harassment is more powerful than you. Harassment is a human rights issue and often involves discrimination based on age, sex, race, skin color, religion, or disability. Harassment is considered a human rights violation in many countries, especially in cases involving the harassment of women in work environments and public places. Adult harassment is more common at the workplace than many people think. The main difference between bullying and harassment is that while harassment can be terminated, it is not easy to put an end to bullying. The nature of the workplace is such that bullying can go on without others knowing about it.
The best way to differentiate between bullying and harassment is to remember that harassment is based on discrimination, while bullying results from jealousy and insecurity. Another thing to remember is that bullying is an ongoing problem, while harassment takes place only occasionally. Bullies engage in these acts to overcome their feelings of insecurity, while harassers derive vicarious pleasure out of targeting people.
What is the Difference Between Bullying and Harassment?
- Bullying and harassment are problem behaviors often encountered at the workplace.
- Bullying results from insecurity, while harassment results from perceived differences based on skin, gender, race, or religion.
- Harassment is punishable under the law, while bullying often goes on unabated.
