The 7 types of harassment and their characteristics

This kind of attacks against victims can take different forms.

More and more cases of bullying are coming to light, in most of which the victims have been the target of a series of vexatious behaviors and conduct carried out by another person known as the aggressor or bully.

But bullying can take many forms and occur in a wide variety of contexts. So throughout this article we will talk about the different types of bullyingThe main motivations of bullies and the consequences for the victim(s).

What is bullying?

According to the dictionary of the Real Academia de la Lengua, in its latest version, the concept of "harassment" refers, among other things, to the action of "pursuing, without respite or rest, an animal or a person", as well as to the act of "insistently pressing someone with annoyances or requirements".

From these meanings we can consider harassment as a conduct of an offensive and disturbing nature, in which the person in which the person being harassed experiences feelings of distress and discomfort.

For conduct to be considered harassment it must involve an imbalance of power between the persons involved. That is, between the harasser and the harassed. In addition, these behaviors must be repeated over time, leading to serious physical and psychological consequences for the person being harassed.

Therefore, the two main characteristics that we must take into account when judging a conduct as harassment are:

• Repetition: the conduct carried out by the harasser must have been carried out more than once. must have been carried out more than once or be likely to occur more than once or may be likely to occur more than once.
• Imbalance: the bullying person uses his or her power (physical, psychological, social, etc.) to exercise control or perpetrate a series of behaviors detrimental to the person being harassed..

The 7 types of bullying

There are different types of behaviors that can be considered as harassment and are legally considered as such. These types of harassment are the following.

1. Bullying

One of the best known types of harassment and one of the most common in recent years is bullying. This can also be known as school harassment or school abuse.

Bullying consists of any type of psychological, verbal or physical abuse or aggression carried out within the school environment, although not necessarily within the classroom.although not necessarily within the classroom. That is to say, in order to be considered bullying, there must be a relationship that implies that both minors share the school space.

This type of school abuse is distinguished because the bully repeatedly intimidates the victim, which implies an abuse of power insofar as it is carried out by an aggressor or a stronger group (although this strength is only perceived by the victim).

The consequences of this abuse can be both physical and psychological. These include:

• Fear of attending school.
• Anxiety and nervousness.
• Depression.
• Isolation.
• Suicide.

The people most at risk of being bullied are usually either children with some type of functional diversity or those who are perceived as different by others.

2. Harassment at work or mobbing

Workplace bullying or mobbing consists of a form of mistreatment that takes place in the workplace..

This harassment, which can be carried out by one or more people, occurs especially at a psychological level through behavior such as taunts, threats, spreading false rumors, slights or setting the victim apart from the rest of the group.

In spite of the above mentioned, there is the possibility that the bullying may eventually lead to violent behavior.This is considered a case of mobbing with aggression.

As a consequence, the work environment becomes a powerful source of stress that can become chronic and even trigger post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

3. Psychological harassment

Also known as moral harassment, this type of harassment consists of vexatious conducts and that attempt against the dignity and moral integrity of the person with the purpose of unbalancing it psychologically.

In most cases the behaviors can be so subtle that not even the victim is aware of them. The stalker exerts a negative influence on the victim by means of lies, words or slander, as well as by distorting reality..

Initially, bullying generates a feeling of instability in the victim who ends up losing confidence in herself and in others, generating a sense of helplessness and anxiety that can lead to depression and suicide.

4. Sexual harassment

Sexual harassment refers to all types of intimidating or coercive conduct of a sexual nature.

This type of aggression can be physical, verbal or non-verbal and includes:

• Acts of physical violence, touching or approaches unwanted by the victim. by the victim.
• Comments or appeals to the victim's physical appearance or private life, as well as alleged compliments or compliments.
• Gestures of a sexual nature and whistling.

All these behaviors can have different degrees. From slightly annoying behaviors for the harassed person, to serious abuses with the purpose of deriving in a possible sexual act.

5. Physical harassment or stalking

In fifth place is physical harassment, which consists of constantly and invasively pursuing the victim in order to establish contact against his or her will. to establish contact against the victim's will..

The origin of this type of harassment usually lies in some kind of obsession that the harasser develops towards the other person, carrying out behaviors such as:

• Spying on the victim.
• Persecuting the victim.
• Making phone calls or attempts to contact the victim.
• Threatening her.
• Violent behavior towards the person being stalked.

6. Cyberbullying or cyberstalking

Also known as virtual or cyberbullying, this is the most contemporary of all types of bullying. In this type of harassment, the harassing person or group uses digital means of communication or social networks to perpetrate a series of personal offensesThe main motivation of a cyberbully is to use digital media or social networks to perpetrate a series of personal offenses, spread confidential information or false rumors.

The main motivation of a cyberbully is to cause psychological and emotional distress and discomfort to the victim.

7. Real estate harassment

Finally, one of the least known types of harassment is real estate harassment. In this case, these are those behaviors carried out by the owners of a dwelling or property with the purpose of in order to make the tenants leave the home or terminate the rental contract against their will.

These conducts can go from the cut of the water, light or gas supplies; to the refusal to carry out repairs of the housing or to provoke intentional deteriorations in this one.