An increasing number of cases of harassment are coming to light, in most of which the victims have been the target of a series of abusive behaviours and conduct carried out by another person known as the aggressor or harasser.

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

What is harassment?

According to the dictionary of the Royal Academy of the Language, in its latest version, the concept of “harassment” refers, among other things, to the action of “persecuting, without giving a break or rest, an animal or a person”, as well as to the act of “urging someone with annoyances or requirements”.

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

For a conduct to be considered harassment it must involve an imbalance of power between the persons involved. That is, between the harasser and the bullied. In addition, these behaviors must be repeated over time, leading to serious consequences for the bully, both physically and psychologically.

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

  • Repetition: the behaviours carried out by the bully must have been carried out more than once or may be susceptible to occur more times.
  • Imbalance: the bully uses his or her power (physical, psychological, social, etc.) to exert control or perpetrate a series of harmful behaviours on the person being harassed .

The 7 Types of Harassment

There are different types of behaviour that can be considered as harassment and are legally considered as such. These types of harassment are as follows.

1. Bullying

One of the best known and most prevalent types of bullying in recent years is bullying. This can also be known as bullying or school mistreatment.

Bullying consists of any type of psychological, verbal or physical abuse or aggression carried out within the school environment , although not necessarily within the classrooms. In other words, for it to be considered as bullying, there must be a relationship that implies that both minors share the school space.

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

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

  • Fear of going to school.
  • Anxiety and nervousness .
  • Depression.
  • Insulation .
  • Suicide.

Those most at risk of bullying are usually either children with some form of functional diversity or those who are perceived as different by others.

2. Harassment or mobbing

Harassment at work or mobbing consists of a form of abuse that takes place within the work space .

This harassment, which can be carried out by one or more people, occurs especially on a psychological level through behaviours such as taunts, threats, spreading false rumours, snubbing or alienating the victim from the rest of the group.

Despite the above, there is a possibility that the harassment may end up incurring in violent behaviour , thus being considered a case of mobbing with aggression.

As a result, 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 conduct that is vexatious and attacks the dignity and moral integrity of the person with the aim of psychologically unbalancing him/her.

Most of the time the behaviors can be so subtle that not even the victim is aware of them. The stalker exerts a negative influence on the victim through lies, words or slander, as well as through the distortion of reality .

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

4. Sexual harassment

Sexual harassment refers to all kinds of intimidating or coercive behaviour of a sexual nature.

These types of attacks can be physical, verbal or non-verbal and include

  • Acts of physical violence, unwanted touches or approaches 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 whistles.

All of these behaviors can have different degrees. From mildly annoying behavior for the person being harassed, to serious abuse with the aim of leading to a possible sexual act.

5. Physical harassment or stalking

In fifth place is physical harassment, which consists of constantly and invasively pursuing the victim with the aim of establishing 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 .
  • Chase her.
  • Make phone calls or attempts to contact her.
  • Threaten her .
  • Violent behavior towards the person being harassed.

6. Cyberbullying or cyberstalking

Also known as virtual or cyberbullying, it is the most contemporary of all types of bullying. In it, the harassing person or group uses digital media or social networks to perpetrate a series of personal offensives , propagation of confidential information or false rumours.

A cyberbully’s primary motivation is to cause psychological and emotional distress and discomfort to the victim.

7. Real Estate Harassment

Finally, one of the lesser-known types of harassment is real estate mobbing. In this case, it is those behaviours carried out by the owners of a dwelling or property with the aim of making the tenants leave their homes or terminate the rental contract against their will.

These behaviors can range from cutting off water, electricity or gas supplies; to refusing to make repairs to the house or causing intentional damage to it.