Bullying

When you are being bullied it may feel like there is nothing you can do about it, you might convince yourself that trying to stop it might make things worse but that’s not true…..

If you are being bullied at school, telling a teacher can seem like the last thing you want to do but it is the right thing to do. You must remember that everyone has the right to live, study and play in an environment free from bullying, harassment, discrimination and violence. No one deserves or asks to be bullied and you certainly shouldn’t go through it on your own. Don’t forget that. There are things you can do about it.

Asking someone for advice: There are many types of bullying –verbal, physical or online – it can really help to tell someone about it and ask for advice. This can take a bit of courage but you’ll be amazed by how much better you feel just by telling someone. Telling someone else what’s going on is really important. Don’t keep it to yourself. There is nothing weak about reporting it or asking for advice. Anyone would need help with bullying!  Actually asking for help is mature and brave.

Who to ask: There are loads of people who can help and support you. Talk to your teacher, parent/s, friends, older brothers/sisters, an aunt or uncle or any adult – they will understand. If it is happening in school, talk to a teacheryou can trust. Teachers are specially trained to deal with bullying. Also, it’s good for them to know what is happening in the school, there might be other people going through the same thing and they may not be brave enough to speak out. So think about it as helping other people!

Talking to family: You might be worried that your parent will explode if you say anything and run down to the school screaming their head off. Remember they will deal with it in the right way for you – they love you and make to sort this out as quick as possible.

If it’s getting you down: If dealing with bullying is getting you down and affecting your day-to-day life, there are loads of people who can help, listen and support you.

Tips for getting help

• If you’re worried about speaking to someone, take a friend with you for support.
• If you don’t feel like you can talk about it face to face, write it down or put it on an e-mail.
• If you don’t feel the person you confided in is not taking the situation seriously, tell someone else and keep at it until something changes.

Dealing with bullying can be really tough. It affects your self-esteem and your confidence, and can end up affecting your school work and your relationships with your family and friends. It is really important to do something about it, and if you feel you need a hand dealing with the effects of it, your Mam, Dad or your school will arrange for you to speak to a Counsellor who can help you work through this.

Working it out yourself: Depending on how bad the bullying is (and as long as you aren’t feeling in danger or physically threatened) you might decide to try to work it out yourself.

Here’s some ideas that might help with this:

• Ignore it (simple but effective)

Ignoring whoever is trying to intimidate you can be really effective for verbal bullying. After all, they’re trying to get a reaction from you, so if you don’t give them one, they hopefully will get bored and give it a rest.

Suggestions for ignoring them: 

• Walk away when they approach you.
• Stay calm and try not to get visibly upset by it. Remember it’s more about them than you.
• Concentrate on thinking about something else.
• People who hassle other people usually set their sights on someone who seems nervous or unsure of themselves because they think they won’t stand up to them. Being confident about who you are can actually be your best defence.
• Stay positive – it can be hard to remember your good points when someone is doing their best to put you down. Try to think of all the things you are good at and proud of.  Some of the world’s most talented people had a hard time when they were young.
• Safety in numbers – you are safer in a group so hang out with other people when you can. Stay in public places where there are lots of people.

More information and places that can help:

There’s loads of information out there on bullying.

You will see there are so many people who feel the same way you do, and who know that bullying is a really serious issue we all need to do something about. Start with the sites below.

• Your School
• Department of Education
• Childline
• ISPCC/Special Shield Campaign being run.
• Anti Bullying Ireland
• Stop Bullying Campaign
• Bully4u
• Be Safe On-line

Remember you deserve to be happy and be surrounded by people who care and love you.

Anonymous 5^th Class pupil