Normal Peer Conflict

• Peers have equal power or are friends with each other.

• Conflict happens occasionally or rarely.

• May be accidental.

• May not be serious; no threat of harm.

• Equal emotional reaction from both peers.

• Not seeking power or attention and not trying to gain something.

• General remorse – will want to take responsibility.

• Effort on both sides to solve the problem.

Bullying/Harassment

• Imbalance of power between peers; not friends.

• Repeated negative actions that happen often.

• Purposefully done.

• Serious with threat of physical or emotional harm.

• Strong emotional reaction from victim and little or no emotional reaction from bully.

• Seeking power, control or material things.

• No remorse – bully blames victim; no guilt from bully.

• No effort to solve the problem.