Bullying

Being bullied is a horrible experience. It can happen to anyone in any situation. Bullies are people who choose to make you feel bad about yourself. They may bully you by pushing you or hitting you. However, bullying is not always physical. Bullies may also make you feel bad about yourself by teasing you, calling you names or even by spreading rumours about you. Nowadays, because of internet use, bullying is not even restricted to face to face contact as there have been reports of people being bullied through social net] sites and chat rooms.

You may not be sure if you are actually being bullied. Children and young people have described bullying in many different ways but if someone is continually calling you names or being violent towards you or intimidating you then this is bullying. However, it is also bullying if you are deliberately excluded from events or conversations. Any continued behaviour that deliberately makes you feel bad about yourself is unacceptable.

You may think that you have to put up with it – you don’t. Bullies work on the assumption that you will be too scared to tell anyone. Bullies will tell you that no-one will believe you or that their behaviour towards you will get worse if you tell. Don’t listen. Make sure that you find someone that you trust, a teacher, family member or friend, and tell them what is going on. They will find a way to help you.