Bullying and cyberbullying

Violence prevention

At school or at home, many young people experience bullying or cyberbullying. How can you recognize and stop it?

What is bullying?

Actions that may seem trivial can actually be considered bullying. Click here to better understand what bullying is.

The law defines bullying as “Any repeated direct or indirect behaviour, comment, act or gesture, whether deliberate or not, including in cyberspace, which occurs in a context where there is a power imbalance between the persons concerned and which causes distress and injures, hurts, oppresses, intimidates or ostracizes.”   

Bullying can take many forms:

  • The victim may be verbally or physically attacked. They may be pushed, hit, etc. 
  • The victim may be ignored or rejected by the group. False rumours may be spread about them, they may be made fun of, etc.
  • Extortion: Someone uses force or threats to take another person’s property.
  • Cyberbullying.

What is cyberbullying?

According to the law, cyberbullying is the act of harassing a person or making threatening, hateful, or degrading statements about them. These statements may be in the form of text or images.

Cyberbullying is a growing problem, mainly affecting young people ages 13 to 17. It often takes the form of a photo, video, text message, or email circulating on the Web that harms a person’s dignity.

Many victims of cyberbullying remain silent, hoping the situation will improve on its own. Unfortunately, without proper intervention, bullying often continues. It is important to talk about it:

  • To a trusted person.
  • To specialized support resources.

Do not hesitate to contact support services for the help you need.

Prevention and intervention tips

Are you a victim of bullying? 

Bullying is not something you should have to put up with. Talk to someone you trust—you don’t have to go through this situation alone. Specialized resources are also available below.

Is your child experiencing bullying?

If you notice signs of bullying in your child:

  • Open a dialogue with kindness.
  • Show your child that you support them. Isolation makes the situation worse.
  • Consult the support resources below to learn how to act.

    Is your child engaging in bullying behavior?

    Several organizations offer free support and tools to help parents understand and work to change the behaviour.

    Messages shared on social media

    Be careful what you post on social media. Insults, hate speech, and threats can be punishable under the Criminal Code.  To better understand what constitutes an offense, here are some definitions:

    Everyone who knowingly makes, transmits, or causes any person to receive a threat:

    a) To cause death or bodily harm to any person.
    b) To burn, destroy, or damage real or personal property.
    c) To kill, poison, or injure an animal or bird owned by someone else.

    A person who commits offense (a) is guilty of:

    • An indictable offense and liable to imprisonment for up to 5 years.
    • Or a summary conviction offense and liable to imprisonment for up to 18 months.

    Anyone who commits offenses (b) and (c) is guilty of:

    • An indictable offense and liable to imprisonment for up to 2 years.
    • Or a summary conviction offense. 

    Everyone who, by communicating statements in any public place, incites hatred against any identifiable group where such incitement is likely to lead to a breach of the peace is guilty of: 

    • An indictable offence and is liable to imprisonment for up to two years.
    • Or a summary conviction offense.

    Before writing a comment on social media, take a moment to think about the possible impact of your message:

    • Would I say these words if I were face-to-face with this person?
    • Am I making a direct or indirect threat, or a defamatory statement?
    • What would my friends or relatives think about this comment?

    Available Resources

    For information or support, here are some resources: 

    Want to report an emergency?

    Call 911