Bullying affects everyone at some time in their lives, maybe as a victim, maybe as the bully--or maybe even as a bystander. Bullying hurts everyone. Bullies and victims both can find themselves left with serious, life-long problems that last into adulthood, and bullying is often cited as a factor in suicide. Bullying relies on an imbalance of power. When someone or a group of people with more power repeatedly and intentionally harm or terrorize a person with less power, someone helpless to respond, that's bullying. Power can be a big kid picking on a little kid, the strong bullying the weak, or even someone using their authority or sensitive information to manipulate someone else. This can be done in person or online, called cyberbullying. The best protection against bullying is to know how to recognize it and understand your options in choosing how to respond to it.