Workplace bullying is a growing concern throughout the U.S.
A recent study by Zogby International found that 53 million workers, or 35 percent of all employees, had been directly affected by a bully in the workplace.
The study also found that nearly two-thirds of bullies are men, and that 58 percent of employees who are bullied are women.
In addition, the study found that when women are bullies, they target other women 80 percent of the time.
Much of this bullying usually takes place because the bully is jealous of his victim's accomplishments and work ethic, said Gary and Ruth Namie, who co-founded the Workplace Bullying Institute in 1997.
Although workplace bullying can have severe effects on victims, including suicide, heart attacks, and depression, victims often have little legal recourse to stop the bullying.
That is because workplace bullying is not illegal so long as it does not fit the legal definition of harassment and as long as it is not based on discrimination.
As a result, victims of workplace bullying rarely win lawsuits against their employers.
While a workplace bullying victim could always tell his employer about the problem, doing so could backfire by causing the bullying to be intensified.
That means that workplace bullying victims must simply cope with the bullying, take time off work, or look for another job.
However, some states are considering legislation that would define an "abusive work environment" and would make both bullies and employers liable for any harm to workplace bullying victims.