Bullying

It can be hard to figure out why someone’s picking on you in particular. A bully is a person who uses his/her power to take advantage of a victim. Often, the problem relates to the bully and has nothing to do with anything you may have said or done. Sometimes you might be affected by what’s happening to you and end up thinking you deserve it. Wrong! Remember that you’re worthwhile: you’re a beautiful person, with strengths and qualities. Stand up for yourself, talk about the situation and don’t keep it to yourself, focus on your strengths, passions, activities, and friends, and most importantly, report unacceptable situations.

Don’t encourage the bully by laughing at his/her insults or standing by without doing anything, or you become an accomplice. If you feel comfortable doing it, you could tell the bully that you don’t agree with what he/she’s saying or doing. You can also show your disagreement through your actions and attitudes, for example by leaving the area so as not to give the bully an audience. You can also report the situation directly or go and see the victim and help him/her look for support from a trusted adult. Finally, encourage other witnesses to join forces in reporting the situation you all witnessed.

People who bully other people think it will give them some advantages, such as power or popularity. They think that violence is a good way of asserting themselves or getting revenge. A bully might want to let someone else know that he/she doesn’t like them or might do it so his/her friends think he/she’s special. But in the end, all reasons for bullying are bad ones, because there’s no good reason to hurt someone.

Recognizing it is already something! But to make sure it doesn’t happen again, look for the reasons and situations that lead you to bully someone. In addition, think about the consequences for your life, the impact of your bullying on your relationships and on the victim. Sometimes, people do things to attract their friends’ attention or to have fun… but bullying isn’t a game! Make an effort to find activities that will make you feel good without hurting anyone else. And if you’ve hurt someone, show humility and apologize sincerely to the person or people you bullied.