Is bullying worse in the UK?

[Irequireausername]

Although bullying is a worldwide problem, I'd like to hear people's experiences to see whether or not bullying is more prevalent in the UK than in other countries.

I'm not talking about bullying at school specifically, but more about workplace bullying such as in the NHS, in the public sector, in industry etc. And also if individuals in society are generally more passive-aggressive/aggressive than in other countries.

For example, is bullying more common in the UK than in Spain? Portugal? Etc. What was your experience? Which countries have high/low levels of bullying?

Would be nice to hear from people with firsthand experience.

Yabu - the UK has less bullying/the same as other countries.
Yanbu - the UK is has more bullying.

Real life experiences would be preferred.

I suspect people are basically the same wherever you are. What may be different is people's willingness to speak up about it.

Are you a journalist or are we helping with homework/coursework?

I'm not a journalist 🙂

How can anybody possibly give any sort of meaningful answer to this?

You do sound like a journalist! I don't know, I've only worked properly in the UK and never witnessed much bullying. I did have a job in Spain once and was treated poorly but I wouldn't want to generalise. It was probably just that one boss who was a nightmare.
I don't see why bullying would be worse in the UK than anywhere else.

I'd venture the suggestion that in a country with limited or no gun control bullying could be worse.

So you need people who have worked in similar industries across several countries who have experienced bullying in at least one country? Seems a small pool of people

Sorry to disappoint but i'm not, you won't be finding it in a paper tomorrow.

Ironically I was trying to be specific to prevent derailing 😅

Ironically I was trying to be specific to prevent derailing 😅
Oh you're from the thread Police (and it's coursework) cool.

Maybe OP won't mind if we make something up since so few of us have the relevant knowledge.

I take your point but people have varied interests. I thought someone would come along with global studies or articles etc.

No big deal if it's too hard to answer, was just curious.

It's difficult to be as precise as that in regards of bullying issues statistics ect

My experience of bullying, was at feminists ethos thinking womens centre,
which as disbanded,
Centre has been closed for some time, and a past which insecurities quite often,for e.g whether funding could be secured for another year or so,

Most of the women who attended this women's centre whether Staff or just Users of centre, were decent people,

But there was one woman a volunteer/User centre who had a real Crap reputation at all the charities who the misfortune to have her as a volunteer,

She would be nice as 🥧 pie to certain staff members, but to other staff members and volunteers she would be a like a Arsehole towards,
She looked like a female version of that bye gone era, so called stand up comedian Bernard Manning,
I don't know if anybody rembers him?

One time we had international women's day ,
Theme event, in which various Arts and crafts workshops ect, lovely buffet went on,

She managed to give visitors who come to support this event filthy looks, ect

Another place I had a former friend working at Budget hotel that is well known
Who can be very passive Aggressive hyper sensitive,
So she is very blunt straight doesn't suffer any fools,
But she is soo sensitive and takes things wrong way misunderstood,

Calm down 😂

Former friend comes out with bitchy comments under the disguise of humour,

But is incredibly sensitive,

As anybody come across anybody like this then?

I don't think it's more or less anywhere else. I think it's just different because it happens. To some greater or lesser extent some are more at risk than others but I can't see how you're going to get any meaningful answer to your question unless you want people to discuss their experiences which again would be very industry and context specific.

I think the number of people who have worked in the same industry across several countries will be quite small. I mean, it won't be statistically relevant will it? You'd need a giant, anonymous survey across many countries to get a picture of whether one nationality is more likely to bully than another.

FWIW I am public sector in the U.K. for decades and have never experienced or seen any bullying, nor has DP.

This. Plus you really really sound like you're researching an article.

YABU to pose such a ridiculous question.

I think most people are good at not seeing it unless it affects them.

Try Google Scholar, you can search for real research rather than either people's personal perceptions or them searching research for you.

I was studying linguistics some years ago, and there was a discussion about a particular form of 'indirect' bullying, that seemed to be prevalent in some contexts in the UK, but less prevalent in many other cultures.

The bullying manifested itself as a sort of insidious wearing down of the victim. For example, a manager may say to a member of staff, 'Oh [Name], we really need to talk at some time. I'll get back to you with a date'. The staff member would know from the tone, and from the implicit understanding that the manager would not waste time arranging for a pleasant chat, that something was wrong. The hinting and air of concern would continue for some time, and the meeting may only occur when the staff member was so worried they were making mistakes or ready to explode.

Other examples of indirect 'bullying' could be passive ostracising. In these cases, a victim might be left out of meetings, not told everything they needed to know or processes that needed to be put in place may not be put in place. Sometimes, the hope was that the staff member would 'move on' quietly after getting the hint that they were not really liked.

At its worst, the scenario above may result in indirect dismissal, in which an employee is made so uncomfortable at work, or the context becomes so arduous that they can no longer continue their role and resign (or are eventually asked to leave).

I have certainly seen indirect bullying at work and in other organised groups, but I have no extensive experience of living or working outside the UK to know whether it is really more prevalent here than in other cultures.

I’m speaking from my experience growing up in Portugal and moving to the UK for early secondary school. I did get bullied in Portugal (racism and it’s still a problem though not as bad so beware) like general exclusion, physical bullying and verbal attacks. After moving to the UK, i noticed that while people tended to form groups and call their friends names and behaviour that otherwise would not have been acceptable, are seen as harmless amongst each other and common occurring unless you say you’re not okay with that being done with you. If you are genuinely being bullied there, as someone has once tried with me (emphasis on tried) i found it very easy to deal with, as just reporting it to my teacher got a whole investigation, i was as honest as possible and they got suspended then never talked to me again. In Portugal, i once got a pavement rock thrown at my head and while i don’t remember anything after that, my older sister was forever furious with the school who did absolutely nothing, didn’t even call an ambulance for a 6 year old with a head injury. Maybe it’s the difference warping my perspective, idk.