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About Bullying Definitions Individual bullying: Bullying is the intentional, repeated attempt by one person to impose wrongful, harmful control over others. Group bullying: Group (social) bullying involves a peer group that acts to dominate others through inappropriate tactics, including by disrupting the social relationships of the target. Institutional bullying and mobbing are contexts within which bullying flourishes. Institutional bullying: is bullying by one or more peers of the target(s) that landlord/management allows or condones; with the effect of demeaning the victim(s) and excluding them from, or limiting their access to, the social life of the institution. Mobbing: is bullying that landlord/management (or staff) actively takes part in, or supports, with the effect of demeaning the victim(s) and excluding them from, or limiting their access to, the social life of the institution and even to unreasonably evict them. The harm is significant Where bullying is uncontrolled, life is consumed by conflict, fear, stress, and illness. Residents fear eviction and experience isolation, exclusion, rejection, gossip, and abuse when they become the targets of bullying. Social isolation, unfair eviction, emotional stress including PTSD, depression, and disease including cardiovascular, stroke, etc. Residents live in terror and have nowhere to turn for relief. The atmosphere in an institution where bullying takes place becomes toxic for staff as well as residents. Violence can result from the unresolved conflicts and tensions. No remedy or protection There is no available effective, comprehensive protection for most victims of bullying. There are gaps in the mandates for various agencies, and victims report the lack of relief despite appealing to the relevant agencies. The law against harassment provides only partial relief. In most cases, residents are unable to afford legal counsel to pursue civil remedies. Current laws and oversight practices are not adequate to protect elderly and/or disabled residents in subsidized housing. It is difficult or impossible for residents to get relief from bullying in subsidized buildings. Managers and management companies, local housing authorities, state agencies and even federal oversight agencies are not held accountable for the quality of life in these buildings. In some situations, even stated policies on bullying are not effective. Bullying is everywhere Victims are being bullied in all types of subsidized housing: privately owned, HUD-subsidized; local housing authorities,; housing under DHCD or MassHousing; and congregational housing/assisted living. Role of management/landlord Landlords have a responsibility to assure "peaceful enjoyment" for all residents. Landlords/managers, including local housing authorities (LHA), can make a difference by preventing bullying and working with residents to create a healthy community. Some landlords and managers are proactive and have relatively few problems with bullying; some landlords claim bullying is not their responsibility; some landlords are concerned but may not have effective means to stop bullying. The bottom line is that the landlords, managers, and residents of a facility need additional tools and skills to address the problems of bullying, including by working with residents. Some landlords, especially those who allow or even use bullying and mobbing to control the institution, may require external pressure and sanctions before they will take appropriate action