"I thought I was the only person this was happening to"
"I've been in the workplace for 20 years and never had an experience like it"
"I thought it was my fault - I was going mad"

When we talk about bullying, we automatically think about schools, but bullying is responsible for 30 to 50 percent of all stress-related illnesses in the workplace. 1 fifth of all UK workers have experienced some form of bullying. That's a lot of bullying!

Bullying can make someone's life a living hell, and it makes me particularly angry- to think that someone created in the image of God, loved by God should endure these situations really riles me.

My wife was bullied early on when she moved to this country and there were several traits about that situation that seem to be common to most bullying cases:

- the bully was generally inadequate at his job, had low self-esteem, was a poor manager (managed by fear), never accepted responsibility for his behaviour, targeted others. The targets (including my wife) tended to be:

- good at their job, popular with others (customers, staff), vulnerable (my wife's English wasn't great, and she was not confirdent, this being her first job in a foreign environment), refusing to join the clique, show independance of thought.

Jealousy and envy were strong motivators.
The bullying manifested itself through:
- petty comments and constant sniping, criticism
- lying or distorting truth about the person's work
- stirring up conflict
- constant psychological pressure.

Some people experience the above, but don't recognise it as bullying. There are some really helpful websites that can provide further info, or help:

http://www.bullyonline.org/ ~bullyonline.org/public_html/workbully/

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/ Employees/DiscriminationAtWork/ DG_10026670

http://www.andreaadamstrust.org - all about workplace bullying.

If you're a Christian, and are experiencing bullying, then please do not hesitate to share this with your small group or church. Prayer can work miracles, and your Father in Heaven is outraged that you are being treated in this way. He can make a way out of it. I pray that our workplaces would be places where people are valued, where their gifts and talents are recognised and developed, and where God's Kingdom is evident... May God bless you in your place of work.