|
What
is Bullying?
Bullying is when someone keeps doing or saying things to have power over another
person.
Some of the ways they bully other people are by:
- Calling them names
- Saying or writing nasty things about them
- Leaving them out of activities
- Not talking to them
- Threatening them
- Making them do
things that don’t want to
do
- Making them feel uncomfortable or scared
- Taking or damaging their things
- Hitting or kicking them
- Using
the Internet as a tool to bully (CyberBullying)
Have any of these things happened to
you? Have you done any of these things to someone else?
Really, bullying is wrong behavior which makes the
person being bullied feel afraid or uncomfortable.
Why do some people bully?
There are a lot of reasons why some people bully.
They may see it as a way of being popular, or making
themselves look tough and in charge.
Some bullies do it to get attention or things, or to
make other people afraid of them. Others might be jealous
of the person they are bullying. They may be being
bullied themselves.
Some bullies may not even understand how wrong their
behavior is and how it makes the person being bullied
feel.
Why are some young people bullied?
Some young people are bullied for no particular reason,
but sometimes it's because they are different in
some way - perhaps it's the color of their skin,
the way they talk, their size or their name. Sometimes
young people are bullied because they look like they
won't stand up for themselves.
Why is bullying harmful?
Some people think bullying is just part of growing
up and a way for young people to learn to stick up
for themselves. But bullying can make young people
feel lonely, unhappy and frightened. It makes them
feel unsafe and think there must be something wrong
with them. They lose confidence and may not want
to go to school any more. It may make them sick.
What can you do if you are being bullied?
Coping with bullying can be difficult, but remember,
you are not the problem, the bully is. You have a
right to feel safe and secure.
And if you're different in some way, be proud of it!
Spend time with your friends - bullies hardly ever
pick on people if they're with others in a group.
You've probably already tried ignoring the bully,
telling them to stop and walking away whenever the
bullying starts.
If someone is bullying you, you should always tell
an adult you can trust. This isn't telling tales. You
have a right to be safe and adults can do things to
get the bullying stopped.
Even if you think you've solved the problem on your
own, tell an adult anyway, in case it happens again.
An adult you can trust might be a teacher, school
principal, parent, someone from your family or a friend's
parent. If you find it difficult to talk about being
bullied, you might find it easier to write down what's
been happening to you and give it to an adult you trust.
What can you do if you see someone else being bullied?
If you see someone else being bullied you should always
try to stop it. If you do nothing, you're saying
that bullying is okay with you.
It's always best to treat others the way you would
like to be treated.
You should show the bully that you think what they're
doing is stupid and mean. Help the person being bullied
to tell an adult they can trust.
Are you a bully?
Have you ever bullied someone else? Think about why
you did it and how you were feeling at the time.
If you are sometimes a bully, try to find other ways
to make yourself feel good.
Most bullies aren't liked, even if it
starts out that way. Remember, it's best to treat others
the way you would like to be treated.
|
