School Bullying: Recognising the Signs When a Child is a Victim

School bullying affects around 10% of pupils at some point in their schooling. It is defined by the repetition of aggressive acts — physical, verbal, or relational — targeting the same person, in an unbalanced power relationship. Its particularity: it is often invisible to adults, and victims rarely speak up spontaneously.

Recognising indirect signals is therefore essential for timely intervention.

The forms of school bullying

Physical bullying

Hitting, pushing, theft of belongings, damage to property. This is the most visible form but not necessarily the most frequent.

Verbal bullying

Repeated mockery, insults, humiliating nicknames. Particularly painful when it targets a physical characteristic, a name, or an origin.

Relational bullying

Deliberate exclusion from the group, manipulation of friendships, rumours, ostracism. This form, often practised by girls, is harder to qualify and often minimised by adults.

Cyberbullying

Extension of bullying online — humiliating messages, videos shared without consent, exclusion from groups. It penetrates domestic space and deprives the victim of all refuge.

Warning signs in children

A child who is being bullied often shows indirect signals:

• Refusing to go to school without a clear medical reason


• Coming home stressed, with damaged belongings


• Loss of appetite, sleep disturbances, morning stomach aches


• Sudden behavioural change (irritability, withdrawal, aggression)


• Abandoning old friends, social isolation


• Unexplained drop in academic results

How to respond

Believing the child without minimising ("children squabble, it's normal"), avoiding advising them to "defend themselves" alone, contacting the school with specific facts, seeking support from a doctor or professional if distress is significant — these are steps that can make a difference.

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