Bullying

What is bullying?

Bullying can take many forms – both physical (e.g. punching and
threatening) and mental (e.g. name calling, pressure to do things you don’t want to). You don’t have to be physically beaten up or hurt to be a victim of bullying.

There are lots of reasons why people are bullied. Some people are picked on because of their religion or race, whilst others are chosen because of their physical appearance, the clothes they wear or because they have different interests and hobbies to other people – things that no-one should be ashamed of.

If you’re being bullied, you don’t have to put up with it and there are many people that can help you do something about it.

How can it affect me?

If you are being bullied you may feel like no one is able to help you or understand how you feel. You may be finding it harder to make friends or talk to other people of your age. Your school/college work might also be suffering because you’re too worried about what might happen the next day.

What can I do?

If you are at school or college, you can talk to your Personal Adviser or your teacher. Don’t be afraid to tell them about your problems – they will listen and take steps to make sure the bullying stops.

Don’t feel embarrased or ashamed to talk to your family (parents, carer, brother or sister) as they will want to help. You may find it difficult to talk about at first but it’s vital that you let them know what’s happening so they can help you do something about it.

If you want to talk to someone confidentially (your details won’t be shared with anyone) then you can call the charity ChildLine on 0800 1111. Calls are free.