Bullying has recently become a hot topic all over the news. Numerous different cases involving both children and adults cover the news. Perhaps the most infamous cases of bullying resulting in violence occurred fifteen years ago at Columbine High School in Columbine, Colorado. Once professionals were able to figure out what caused Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold to create such a traumatic event, people began to learn how to prevent this type of catastrophe from happening again. Up to half of all children are aggressors or victims of bullying. The prevalence of bullying in elementary schools is rapidly increasing throughout the United States. Connecticut reported 1,431 cases of bullying within its school districts at the close of the 2012-2013 school year (AP Connecticut). Numbers like these are just the beginning of a trend that Americans won't see the end of anytime soon. As the definition of bullying changes, so does the amount of cases reported. Olweus, a highly regarded research program, breaks down bullying into three components: threats with intent to harm, repeated violent or degrading behavior, and power differentials between the bully and the victim (Bullying). Although many other definitions exist, this is the most widely accepted. When this behavior is repeated, the effects become even more evident. It is important to realize that bullying affects everyone involved. Most of the easily observable effects are those prevalent in the victim, such as physical damage. Bullying a child can result in fractures or cuts. In many cases the worst damage includes psychological problems such as low self-esteem and depression. It is problems like these that lead to violence against them... at the heart of the paper... the effects that can exist if they are not recognised. Many teenagers and adults experience constant bullying over which they feel they have no control. While it may not seem like a big deal at first, as the problem becomes more severe, the effects also increase. The best way to deal with bullying is to discover the causes and then predict the outcomes and effects. Works Cited “AP Connecticut.” Newsday. Associated Press, January 20, 2014. Web. January 22, 2014. “Bullying.” Encyclopedia of consultancy. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 2008. Creed Reference. Network. January 22, 2014. "Cyberbullying: Statistics and Tips" I-SAFE Inc. Np, nd Web. January 20, 2014. "Effects of Bullying." House. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d. Web. January 27, 2014. “Mobbing in the Workplace.” Business: The Ultimate Resource. London: A&C Black, 2009. Reference to the Creed. Network. January 22 2014.