This is a question that people ask all the time. There is no one particular answer. People can be bullied for anything. Sometimes, people who display bullying behaviour towards others pick up on a small thing that makes someone stand out and they use it to hurt and humiliate them. This might be the way someone looks, the things they like doing or even the type of clothes they wear.
Many people who are being bullied blame themselves and feel it is their fault – but it isn’t. No-one deserves to be bullied and no-one has the right to make another person feel bad.
Some other reasons why a person might display bullying behaviour towards someone are:
It is important to remember the above list are reasons and not excuses to hurt someone else. Bullying behaviour is cruel, humiliating and causes a lot of pain to the person being bullied and it must be reported to ensure those affected receive the support they need.
To rehabilitate, change behaviour and encourage compassion and empathy, those who display bullying behaviour also need our support. If we want to help them grow up learning to interrelate with others without manipulation, harassment and abuse, we need to commit the resources and attitude to make that happen.
Everyone is different and it’s these differences that make us unique and individual and they should be recognised and celebrated.