Bullying happens when someone hurts or scares another person on purpose and the person who is being bullied has a hard time defending himself or herself. Usually bullying happens over and over and happens in different ways: Spreading rumors Keeping certain people out of the group Teasing in a mean way Getting certain people to gang up on each other
Punching, shoving, or any act that hurts people physically Bullying can happen online or electronically. Cyber bullying is when the internet is used to bully. This includes posting nasty pictures or messages about others on blogs or on web sites, sending mean or threatening text, email or instant messages and using someone else's user name to spread rumors or lies about someone.
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Being bullied? That can feel pretty awful. But, no matter how bad it makes you feel sometimes, you should know you're not alone.
Always tell an adult. It's hard to talk about serious things with adults sometimes, but they can help put a stop to bullying. Tell an adult that you trust and can talk to—your parents, your teacher, or your school counselor. If you've told a grown-up before and they haven't done anything about it, tell someone else. Having someone else there to support you can make it a lot less scary. Tell the adults exactly what has happened—who did the bullying, where and when it happened, how long it's been happening to you, and how it's making you feel. It is their job to help keep you safe. Most adults really care about bullying and will do everything they can to help you.
Stay in a group. Kids who bully like to pick on kids who are by themselves— it's easier and they're more likely to get away with their bad behavior. If you spend more time with other kids, you may not be an easy "target" and you'll have others around to help you if you get into a tough situation!
If it feels safe, try to stand up to the person who is bullying you. If the person who is bullying you thinks you won't do anything about it, they are more likely to keep picking on you. This doesn't mean you should fight back or bully them back. Instead, tell the person bullying you that you don't like it and that they should stop! Keep it simple. You might just say, "Cut it out!", and then walk away. If possible, try to talk to them in a calm voice. Kids who bully often like to see that they can make you upset. If you're afraid to talk to the person who is bullying you by yourself, then you might want to ask someone else to be there with you. Kids who bully are more likely to listen, and less likely to bully you, when you're with someone and not alone. If you're not comfortable standing up to someone who has
bullied you, that's definitely OK! Just walk away. But be sure to tell an adult.
If you are being bullied on-line, don't reply. This may actually make the bullying worse. Instead, be sure to tell a teacher or counselor. Save evidence of the bullying. If you get a nasty e-mail, print it out or save it so that you can show it to the teacher.
Do activities where you'll meet other kids. .You can meet other kids who share your interests and you might make some good friends!
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DON'T… think it's your fault. Nobody deserves to be bullied!
DON'T… fight back or bully a person back. This probably won't make things any better and it might get you into big trouble.
DON'T… keep it to yourself and just hope the bullying will "go away." Bullying won't stop until adults and other kids get involved. Be sure to report the bullying.
DON'T… skip school because you're afraid of being bullied. Missing out on school or activities that you enjoy isn't the answer. You have a right to be there!
DON'T… think that you're a "tattle tale" if you tell an adult that you've been bullied. Telling is NOT tattling! It's the right thing to do.
DON'T… hurt yourself. Some kids who are bullied get so sad and depressed that they may try to hurt themselves because they think there is nothing else they can do. This definitely isn't the answer. Talk with an adult immediately and tell them how you are feeling. They can help stop the bullying.
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