What is provocative bullying?

In some cases, a child who is the victim of bullying may also appear to engage in bullying behavior.  This occurs in a small percentage of bullying situations and typically involves a child who has poor social skills, does not follow rules, relates to adults aggressively and may have a learning disability, ADHD or autism.  The difference in this situation is that the child (unlike a typical bullying instigator) has no power and is lashing out impulsively.  A child in this situation needs more support from the entire community.  For more information about how to help a child in this situation, go to the Bullying Prevention Resource Guide.