Between 15 to 30 percent of children are repeatedly victimized by bullies, according to some estimates. Children who are shy, unassertive, and passive, with low self-esteem and an anxious temperament are particularly vulnerable to bullies. Overprotective parents actually increase their children’s risk of being targeted by bullies by hampering their independence and self-confidence and enhancing their sense of passivity and dependency. While such children should never be blamed for the being victims, they can benefit from interventions that increase their social skills, assertiveness, and initiative.