31 Days of Awareness: Bullying

Bullying

Awareness Color: Officially Blue. Orange and Purple are worn also.
Awareness Month: October

Source

Bullying is the use of force or coercion to abuse or intimidate others. The behavior can be habitual and involve an imbalance of social or physical power. It can include verbal harassment or threat, physical assault or coercion and may be directed repeatedly towards particular victims, perhaps on grounds of race, religion, gender, sexuality, or ability. The victim of bullying is sometimes referred to as a "target".

Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children (and sometimes adults) that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose.

If you are being bullied

First, you need to know that you are NOT alone in being bullied. You need to know that being bullied is NOT YOUR FAULT. You also need to know that there are many positive things that you can do about bullying.

People who bully might tell you things like "You're stupid and ugly" or other bad things. They might try to hurt and control you by telling you that your hair or skin colour, size, sex, race, religion and other things are bad. Don't believe bullies. These things are not bad. If fact, it is these very things that make you special and unique in our world. These mean words and actions tell us all more about the people who are saying and doing such things, than about you. 

Bullying is really about others who want to have power and control over you. People who bully want you to feel badly about yourself. Don't give bullies that power.

What do do if you're being bullied

Being bullied can be embarrassing, scary and very hurtful, but you should know that you don't have to put up with being bullied. It is NOT a normal part of growing up.

Bullying is wrong. Bullying is something some people learn, that means it is something we can change and there are things we can do to deal with bullying. Here are some things we all can do to stop bullying:

• ·         Learn about what bullying is and then share this with others, like your parents, friends, teachers, sport coaches and others. A lot of adults believe that bullying is just a normal part of life, IT'S NOT -BE the change! And teach them that people should not just accept bullying.
• ·         You need to know that you are NOT alone in being bullied. Being bullied is embarrassing, scary and hurtful, it is normal to feel scared if you are being bullied, but being bullied is NOT normal and you shouldn't have to live with being bullied!
• ·         You need to know that being bullied is NOT your fault. Bullies might tell you mean things about yourself, but don't believe them. Bullies will say what ever they can to try and have power over you. Don't let them!
• ·         You need to know that there are lots of things you can do to help bullying stop, for yourself and for others.

• Don't keep it to yourself: tell an adult. If you are being bullied, it's very important to tell an adult. It's really hard to stop bullying by yourself. Parents, teachers, principals, sport coaches, Guide and Scout leaders can all help to stop bullying.
  
• Write down what happened Who was bullying? Where did it happen? Who did what? Who saw it?
  
• Telling is not tattling. Telling we do to help make things safer and better. Tattling is what people do when they want to get someone else in trouble on purpose.
• Be brave When you're scared of another person, it's hard to be brave. But sometimes just acting brave is enough to stop a bully. If you act as though you're not afraid, it may be enough for a people who bully to leave you alone.
  
• Stay calm and don't act upset or angry: bullies love to get a reaction. Practice what you'll do and say the next time it happens. If you don't act upset or react the way they want you to, they may get bored and stop.
  
• Ignore the people who bully. Try to ignore a bully's threats. If you can walk away, it takes a bullies power away because they want you to feel bad about yourself. Don't react. Don't let the people who bully win!
  
• If ignoring them won't work, tell the people who are bullying to stop, say "Cut it out!", "That's not funny!", "How'd you like it if someone did that to you?" Let the people who bully know that what he or she is doing is stupid and mean.  
• Stand up, don't s tand by Kids can stand up for each other by telling a people who bully to stop teasing or hurting someone else. You shouldn't try and fight the people who bully  . This almost always makes things worse. Walk up to the person being bullied, talk with them and then walk away together.
  
• Refuse to join in and don't just sit back and watch. The bully wants an audience. You give bullies power when you watch. If you aren't part of the solution, you are part of the problem.
  
• Be a friend Kids who are being bullied can sure use a friend.  Walk with a friend or two on the way to school or recess or lunch or wherever you think you might meet the bully. Offer to do the same for someone else who's having trouble with a bully. Look out for kids who are new to school, or those kids who always seem to be alone.
  
• Join a club, a team, or a group This is a great way to make new friends. This really helps when you are new to school.
  
• Don't fight back First of all it's a dangerous thing to. Secondly, it usually makes things worse for everyone. Besides, you can't bully a bully into changing the way they are acting. Stay with others, stay safe, and get help from an adult.
  
• Sit or walk near an adult or friend Sit near the bus driver. Walk with a teacher or friend during recess or lunchtime.
  
• Take a different path to and from school
• Leave at different time
• Don't bring expensive stuff to school
• Share your story, find help, support and information on this Web site.
• Make sure the kid who's being bullied tells an adult. Offer to go with them if it will help.
  
• If they don't want to talk to anybody, offer to talk to someone for them.
  
• Involve as many people as possible, including other friends or classmates, parents, teachers, school counselors, and the principal.

To learn more, please visit:

Stop Bullying
Bullying Awareness Week
National Bullying Prevention Center
Kids Against Bullying