When Bystanders Become Bullies: 11 Behaviors of Bully-Supporters

August 29, 2025August 21, 20254 Comments

‘Want to know all the behaviors you’ll see when bystanders become bullies? Here’s how bystanders will behave when they agree with and support the person who is bullying you.

Sadly, in most cases of bullying, bystanders only make it worse. Therefore, in this post, you will learn what happens when bystanders become bullies and all the behaviors of those who support bullying.

Once you learn all about these signs, you will be able to take the best course of action to protect yourself and decide whether it’s better to leave the environment altogether.

This post is all about what happens when bystanders become bullies, so that you can take steps to ensure your safety.

When Bystanders become Bullies

Any time bystanders join your bullies in tormenting you, it can be especially devastating because you have no one to help you. Moreover, it can escalate to group-bullying, and group behavior can get dangerous very quickly.

So, what are all the signs that bystanders support bullying?

1. Laughing and Giggling

When you’re being bullied in front of an audience, you hear laughing and giggling in the background; the bystanders think it’s funny.

However, it isn’t so funny to you. And they wouldn’t think so either, if they were the ones being bullied in public.

When bystanders laugh and giggle, it means they’re getting their kicks at your expense.

2. Ignoring it and Doing Nothing.

When bystanders ignore bullying and do nothing, they become just as bad as the bullies. There are many reasons bystanders don’t do anything about bullying. Maybe they’re scared of becoming the next target.

It could be that they don’t like you and that they think you deserve to be bullied. Also, the bullies could be their proxies. In other words, your bullies are doing what they wish they had the balls to do.

3. When Bystanders Become Bullies:

Whispering and Gossiping About The Bullying Incidents.

If the bystanders can’t stand you, they’ll love it when your bullies attack you. And they’ll talk about it too. Therefore, they will whisper and gossip about the bullying incident to everyone who will listen.

They will say things like, “Katie got her ass kicked in the bathroom yesterday! I mean, she got her shit rocked!”

Here are other statements bystanders who hate you might make after bullies publicly attack you.

“Charles finally got what was coming to him this morning! And it was glorious!”

“You should have seen it! Samantha and Janessa jumped Pam on Tuesday in the hall! They knocked her down, then they started kicking her while she was down on the floor!”

“I don’t feel sorry for the bitch! She got what she deserved, and I hope she gets more of it!”

“April said she’s going to kick Carla’s ass, and I hope I’m around to see it go down!”

Several bystanders may come to you and tell you that your bully is gunning for you. Here’s what they may say to you.

“You’ve got several people who are looking for you, and when they find you, they’re going to kick your butt.”

“You’d better hope Sheila doesn’t run into you because she’s got a bone to pick with you.”

Make no mistake! When bystanders come and tell you these things, they’re not doing it out of concern. They’re doing it to intimidate you and instill in you a sense of dread.

4. When Bystanders Become Bullies:

Staring and Pointing.

When your bullies are in your face and there are people around to see it, those people may point and stare because they’re getting entertainment from seeing your bullies attack you.

And they won’t stop gawking until the fight is over. Then they will run and tell everyone how your bullies punked you out. Some might even embellish on the story to make it bigger and to make you look weaker.

But realize that they’re doing it because they want a story to tell all their friends.

5. Playing the Messenger between the Bully and Victim.

Many bystanders might run to you and bait you into saying something bad about your bullies. If you take the bait, they will then report back to your bullies with everything you told them. Also, they may embellish and add to what you said to make it worse.

They may then come back to you with how your bullies responded to get you to divulge more. And they will do this several times over.

If nothing else, know this! The reason these people play messenger is that they are itching to see a fight. Therefore, they try to stir it up. So, see their behavior for what it is.

They’re trying to get a fight started so they can watch, then go brag about it later. You should have nothing to do with these people.

The next time someone comes to you and tries to trick you into saying something about your bullies, ask them, “What’s it to you?” Then, tell them to get lost.

6. When Bystanders Become Bullies:

Hopping on the Bandwagon and joining in.

When your bullies get in your face, many bystanders will join them in tormenting you. When the bullies accuse you of something, the bystanders might tell the bully that they saw you do it or heard you say it.

Or they may follow the bullies’ lead when they call you names and insult you. They may call you ugly names too.

Again, these bystanders are no better than you bullies are. In fact, they’re worse. Why? Because they don’t have the guts to confront you unless your bullies do it first. All they are is a bunch of flying monkeys.

And you know what usually happens to flying monkeys. Right? Once they do what the bullies want them to do, the bullies have no use for them anymore. Then, the bullies discard them like yesterday’s garbage.

7. Keeping the Rumor Mill Going about the Target Victim.

If your bullies have started a smear campaign against you, they start a rumor about you to ruin your reputation. The bystanders will then pick it up and keep it going.

And they may change the story around during the process and make it bigger. Therefore, you must see these people for who they are. They’re a bunch of followers and wannabes.

8. When Bystanders Become Bullies:

Liking or Agreeing with Mean Social Media Posts.

If you’re being cyber-bullied, bystanders will often like any mean social media posts. If your bullies make vicious comments about you, they may like those too.

Anytime someone hits the like button on a mean post, it only means they agree with your bullies. Therefore, if these people happen to be on your friend or followers list, you must delete and block them immediately.

Because they’re not on your list to be your friend. They’re there to spy on you.

9. Inciting More Bullying Between the Bully and THE Target Victim.

Sadly, many bystanders get their kicks out of seeing bullies bully you. Therefore, they will egg it on to keep it going. When bystanders tried to keep the fires burning, you often hear the people around you cheer as your bully is telling you off or beating the crap out of you.

For instance, when your bully gets in your face, you might hear people in the background shouting and jeering. They may say things like, “Hit her! Just hit her!” Or you might hear them say, “Get him, Johnny!” or “Yeah! Set her ass straight!”

Understand where this behavior comes from. They like seeing you get pummeled by the bullies. Moreover, these bystanders are too chicken to do it themselves. Your bullies serve as proxies to them.

Therefore, you must stand up to bullies and show them and their supporters that you won’t take their abuse lying down.

10. When Bystanders Become Bullies:

Getting pissed off at you for defending yourself.

Here’s an example. Your bullies approach you in the parking lot and try to provoke you. In fact, they’ve been giving you hell for a long time now, and you’re sick of it.

When one of your bullies hits you first, that’s the last straw. You immediately sock him in the nose, then commence to beating the mess out of him in front of everyone.

All of a sudden, everyone is outraged, not at the bully who started it, but at you for defending yourself. But where was their outrage when they were starting shit with you?

Again, see these bystanders for who they are – a bunch of agitators! And tell them all to take a long walk off a short pier!

11. Retaliating against you for defending yourself.

For instance, you may beat the crap out of one bully, then the bystanders may set you up to be attacked by a bigger bully. They may lie to the bigger bully, telling them that you are trying to get with his girl. Or they may tell them that you said something bad about him.

Whatever they do, they do it because they hate you for sweeping the floor with their hero – the bully they looked up to. Therefore, they’re going to pay you back by getting a bigger bully to attack you. Why? To increase the odds that you might get your butt kicked.

Again, have nothing to do with these bystanders because they’re a bunch of weak little cowards who can’t fight their own battles. So, they must get someone else to do their violence for them.

When Bystanders Become Bullies:

In Conclusion

Sadly, most bystanders are cowards. Chances are that they will not help you if you’re a target of bullying. They will only blame you because they hate you as much as your bullies do. But they don’t have the guts to attack you themselves.

The only way they can attack you is to do it subtly or join in with your bullies. So, see these people for who they are – a bunch of pathetic losers who are scared that they might be next. As long as you look at them this way, you keep your confidence up.

This post was all about the signs you see when bystanders become bullies, so that you will know when it’s time to change schools or begin looking for employment elsewhere.

Related posts you’ll enjoy:

1. Deliberate Indifference: 7 Reasons Bystanders Won’t Help Victims

2. Stop Victim Blaming: 8 Reasons People Blame Targets for Bullying

3. Examples of Subtle Bullying: 6 Powerful Ways to Read Between the Lines

4. Guilt by Association Fallacy: How It Brings About Bullying

The 4 Stages of Bullying

August 15, 2024May 26, 202518 Comments

‘Want to know what the 4 stages of bullying are so that you can know to put a stop to it before it gets out of control?

Bullying ruins the lives of millions of innocent people each year. If you’re one of them, you’re probably wondering how it begins and what it is about potential targets that attracts the ire of bullies. As someone who’s been in the crosshairs of bullies, I’m giving you the 4 stages of bullying, in full detail.

You will learn all the characteristics of each of the 4 stages of bullying so that you can know which stages your situation falls in.

Once you learn these phases, you will know what to do and if there’s still time to turn things around.

This post is all about the 4 stages of bullying and what you, as a target, can do to remedy the situation.

The 4 Stages of Bullying

This post isn’t about me and I always make sure to make every post about you, the reader. However, I feel compelled to tell you what my wise grandmother once told me.

“Never. And I mean NEVER… let anyone get comfortable with abusing and mistreating you.”

She was right. However, by the time she gave me that little gold nugget of wisdom, it was already too late. First impressions count. Therefore, my opportunity to make a good first impression had passed four years prior to our conversation.

I was in high school and had been a victim of bullying since moving to *Oakley School District in the sixth grade. Therefore, right then, I understood what she meant and why she gave me that advice.

Therefore, understand that bullying is a process. It goes through stages, the pre-beginning stage, beginning stage, middle stage, and late stage.

Moreover, the bullying can move through stages either quickly and even skip a stage or two, or more slowly. But, how it progresses depends on the situation, environment, and people involved.

1. Pre-beginning Stage of Bullying

A group of classmates or coworkers (bullies) search for a target. Once they spot a potential target (PT), they watch them closely, studying them. Here’s what the bullies try to figure out:

What excites the PT
Things that make the PT happy, sad, angry, upset, etc.
What the PT most desires
Any voids in life the PT has
Any unmet and unfulfilled wants and needs the PT has.
The PT’s body language and facial expressions to assess moods and mental states.
flaws to point out.

In other words, the bullies want to know these things to find areas where the PT is most vulnerable. Then, they can figure out whether the person would be an easy target.

2. Beginning Stage (Grooming Stage)

If you’re that PT, understand that bullies will test the waters by throwing out subtle or not-so-subtle insults and attacks to see how you react. If you give the bullies the reaction they’re looking for, they will select you and make you their target.

In other words, the bullies use the above process to groom you.

By this stage, the bullies have gathered the intel they searched for in the pre-beginning stage. They then weaponize it and use it in their attacks against you.

For example: If the bullies find out that your father has a drinking problem, or that your husband or wife is cheating on you. They may use the info to bait you into a reaction.

They may say something to the effect of:

“Hey, So-and-so! I heard that your father is a drunk (or, your wife cheated on you)! Is that true?”

You then fire back saying:

“No, he’s not (she didn’t)! You lay off!

Next, the bullies put you on the defense, then build off your defensive reaction. The bullies laugh and say, “Aww! ‘Smatter? ‘Truth hurt?”

And on and on the bullies build on each answer to get you riled.

The bullies continue to berate you until they get bored with the same tactics. They then escalate the attacks.

If you don’t stand up for yourself during this stage, you’ll come to be known as a pushover, a wimp- someone that is ripe for abuse.

And once that label becomes iron-clad, it will be almost impossible to keep people from using you as a doormat.

3. The 4 Stages of Bullying: Middle Stage.

In this stage, the bullies signal to other classmates or coworkers that you’re ripe for attack. Therefore, they encourage and even recruit bystanders to unite with them and join in the torment.

Moreover, bullies do this through gossip, rumors, accusations, and smear campaigns. They continue this behavior until, one by one, people begin turning against you.

As time goes by, more and more people turn their backs on you until you have no friends nor support system left.

Now, you have become radioactive. In other words, no one wants to associate with you because they know they’ll be next if they do.

Therefore, to ensure their own reputations don’t become tarnished, bystanders may avoid you altogether. Also, they may become willing participants in the attacks.

We call these people, secondary bullies.

During the middle stage of bullying, physical abuse begins.

In this stage, the bullying becomes physical. Therefore, bullies and others begin to physically attack you. First, they may accidentally on purpose, run into you in the hall or parking lot. Next, they’ll trip you as you’re walking outside.

After that, they hit you, kick, punch, and shove you. Finally, you’ll suffer brutal beatings by bullies and their new followers.

Although physical bullying can happen in the workplace, it’s much more common in the school environment.

The physical bullying then escalates to a climax. People seem to be standing in line, waiting on their turn to have a boxing match with you.

It grows to such that you, while only trying to defend yourself, get involved in many fights.

Consequently, the number of physical altercations causes teachers and staff (or police) to label you as the troublemaker.

Defamation of your character also grows during this stage.

Character assassination reaches a new high.

Also, once the mistreatment goes on for so long, others get comfortable with abusing you. In fact, they grow so accustomed to being cruel to you that they don’t even think about nor care how they hurt you.

It is also during this stage that bullies and their recruits go home and tell their families horrible lies and rumors about you. The family members then spread the word to the people they know at work, the supermarket, etc.

Next, the coworkers, friends, and extended family members pass what they’re told to their families. And word of your perceived evilness or craziness spreads throughout the entire community.

Thus, they completely decimate your reputation. Therefore, everyone meets your reputation before getting the chance to meet you in person.

Understand that people do this deliberately to create a toxic environment for you. In other words, they lay the groundwork for an environment that doesn’t allow you to receive support, make new friends, nor rise above the abuse.

Finally, your opportunities for love, friendship, jobs, careers, etc. are either limited or lost.

4. The 4 Stages of Bullying: Late Stage.

Bullying becomes mobbing when it reaches this stage!

Now, people who’ve never met you wish to attack you. It becomes a case of “you don’t know me, but I know you.”

Therefore, this stage is the most dangerous because everyone around you becomes deranged. Also, they get so emboldened that they don’t try to hide their hatred anymore.

And why not? They’ve gotten away with their abuse for so long that they know that there’s no incentive to stop the attacks.

snowball effect

Once it reaches this stage, there’s no accountability. Moreover, when there’s no accountability for abuse, there are no limits to it.

Therefore, the bullies (and everyone else) can now escalate the abuse at will. This is the stage that bullying has become life-threatening.

Everyone in the community hates you and wants nothing more than to see you suffer. Understand that the “good people” of the community have no idea why they hate you. Moreover, they’ll never be able to tell you exactly what you did to deserve it.

All they know is that they loathe you and have an intense desire to destroy you.

Furthermore, people will come to expect you the take the abuse. Any attempts to defend yourself will only bring more outrage.

In fact, others will prevent you from questioning their abuse nor talking back to them when they verbally attack you. Also, they’ll try to prevent you from even talking about the abuse to people outside the dynamic.

In other words, when you finally get fed up and stand up to your persecutors, they won’t respect you for it.

The last and most dangerous of the 4 Stages of Bullying

Why is that? Because they’ve grown so accustomed to abusing you, any self-defense on your part takes them out of their comfort zones.

People love their comfort zones. Therefore, they’ll only retaliate and do everything in their power to subdue you. You’ll be in a constant battle which will only wear you down and exhaust you.

Again, this stage is the most dangerous and if you’ve reached this stage, now is the time to leave. Pick up and move to a different area and tell no one where you’re going or even that you’re moving.

Or transfer to a different school. Whatever the case, just find a way to quickly and quietly disappear because your life may depend on it.

Be warned that it is also during this stage that you’ll either die by suicide or leave town, move schools, or move on to a different company to pursue a better life. I hope you choose the latter and not the former.

If you choose the latter option, you’ll finally relocate and get a fresh start. You will also get a chance to reinvent yourself and move on to prosperity.

You will rebuild your life, begin to flourish, and create a better world for yourself.

Case In Point

You must firmly stand up to bad treatment in the early stages of bullying. Why? Because during these stages, it’s more likely that others will respect your right to be treated well.

Therefore, they’ll either leave you alone or began treating you better.

Whereas, if you allow the bullying go on for a long time before defending yourself, others will grow comfortable with abusing you. Therefore, they’ll probably only resent you for daring to open your mouth about it and stand up to their abuse.

They will then double down in their abuse or eliminate you somehow.

Why? Because, as mentioned earlier in the post, once people grow comfortable with mistreating you, it’s much more difficult to fight.

Therefore, always set and enforce your boundaries right when the bullying begins. Never let it go on for any length of time. The sooner you do, the easier it will be to assert your rights and avoid retaliation.

this post was all about the 4 stages of bullying so that you can better prepare your defense strategies.