Colman Noctor: Why many young people do not recognise they have been bullied

Research shows that, while bullying remains a widespread experience for children, many choose not to tell an adult. It’s particularly likely to happen with 13-year-olds, with one in four of them staying silent

The term ‘bullying’ still carries a heavy stigma. To admit that you are a victim of bullying seems to be a form of harassment that few children want to own

"But it’s not bullying” is one of the most common sentences I hear in my therapy room. 

Usually said after a young person has just told me a disturbing account of how their peers have treated them.