Workplace bullies

Where was "Bully Police USA" when I needed them? My self-defense training growing up was limited to my father coaching me to "hit back" or crush hypothetical scenarios with some zinger (outside of the I=rubber; you=glue genus). Well, at the Bully Police USA headquarters, you can check if your state has anti-bullying laws (32 states do). Among those 32, the only state that received an "A++" was Delaware. If you were bullied in Delaware, you probably won't be anymore...The site also claims that:

• 90% of students felt being bullied caused social, emotional, or academic problems. (Studies show, both bullies & victims have problems later in life because of bullying.
• 69% of students believe schools respond poorly to reports of bullying.
• Three out of four students report that they have been bullied.
• Each month over 250,000 students report being physically attacked.
• The five worst states for bullying, according to surveys, are: (46) Connecticut, (47) Maine, (48) Washington, (49) Montana & (50) New Hampshire.

And then there's the Workplace Bullying Institute, advocating ways to "help you get on track to end your misery." The site includes a link to a "U.S. Workplace Bullying Survey," whose results claim that "72% of bullies are bosses; 55% of those bullied are rank-and-file workers." Well, since we've recently discussed tyrannical bosses, what do you think: are bosses more likely to be bullies? And if you've encountered workplace bullying, have you had underwhelming experiences seeking help from HR?