Some really harrowing stories on this thread, I'm feeling very fortunate that I've never had to experience what some of you have been through.
I wouldn't say I've been a victim of bullying myself, but I did have to watch my Mother going through it towards the end of her career. She is now retired but was a FE lecturer, and took immense pride in her work and her ability to do it to a high standard. As she got towards her late 50s however, there were two colleagues who had previously been fairly close friends of hers who suddenly, and without any seeming justification completely turned on her. What had been an enjoyable work environment very quickly turned either completely silent/hypercritical almost overnight, and sadly it affected her to the point that she had to take an extended period off sick.
It's absolutely heartbreaking to watch someone you love go through this kind of thing, periodically blaming or questioning themselves, and watching their confidence ebb away with each interaction - all for absolutely no gain to the other women either. What's more is that now, more than a decade after her retirement, her whole estimation of her achievements within her career is undoubtedly undermined by her experiences as a victim of bullying.