FACT 10: Individuals with ASD are often subjects to bullying at every stage of life
- Bullying, defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as unwanted aggressive behavior by another youth or group that involves an observed or perceived power imbalance, can take many forms. Common types of bullying include:
- Physical
- Verbal
- Relational/Social
- Damage to Personal Property
- Cyberbullying
- Bullying based on a student’s disability may be considered harassment under civil rights laws, which protect against bullying based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or religion. Harassing behaviors may include:
- Unwelcome conduct, such as verbal abuse, name-calling, epithets, or slurs
- Graphic or written statements
- Threats
- Physical assault
- Conduct that is physically threatening, harmful, or humiliating
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024)- Bullying, Autism Speaks (2023). Bullying