Verbal bullying

Words that hurt – in your face or behind your back

Verbal bullying means insulting or making fun of someone, accusing them, calling them names, humiliating them, threatening them, manipulating them, or making racist, sexist, homophobic, or sexual comments (in the last case, that’s sexual harassment).

We call it direct bullying when the victim is present when the bullying takes place. For example, a guy or a girl is treated like an idiot in front of the whole cafeteria.

Indirect bullying is the opposite: the bullying takes place behind the victim’s back. For example, someone might tell everyone the secrets you told them just to make fun of you.