What is bullying?

 

Bullying is more than just teasing on the playground. 

Bullying can include:

 

• Physical abuse( grabbing, striking, pinching, shoving, physical harassment, etc.)

• Threats: of doing harm, of telling on someone or spreading rumours

• Verbal abuse: yelling, name-calling, constant criticism, insults, threats, and gossiping.

• Social abuse( isolating the victim, using silent treatment, leaving out and scapegoating)

• Harassing or stalking

 

Bullying occurs when one person or a group of people try to control another in order to dominate and get their way. Bullying can include physical, emotional, or sexual harassment. It causes fear and prevents the person from doing what they want,or it forces them to do things they didn't choose. Bullying isn't something that just happens to little kids; bullying can happen when you are a child, teenager, or adult, and it crosses all racial, religious, gender, social, and economic backgrounds.

 

Ignore Bullying if you can...

This works best only if you and the bully are alone. Often, a bully will tease or taunt to get areaction from you, such as anger or crying. If you ignore the bully, they will not get the reaction they want and will often stop.

 

Practice what you want to say...

If there are people bystanders present, then ignoring the bully may not work.  The bystanders’ reactions such as laughing or cheering will encourage the bully to continue harassing you until you react. You will then need to stand up to the bully.  Standing up does not mean that you return the physical or verbal abuse; it simply means to being assertive.  For example, if the bully is demanding you give them something that belongs to you, such as your calculator, then be assertive: “NO! You cannot have my calculator and if you ask me again, I will tell the principal.”Assertiveness may not come naturally and may need to be practiced.

 

If responding assertively does not stop the bullying, tell someone. If that person does not listen, tell someone else. Keep telling until someone listens. 

It is important to report the incident as soon as it happens! 

Keep a note or diary of what is happening.