When you are being bullied…
Be assertive, look them in the eye and tell them to stop. Even though you may be scared, try to sound confident. Keep it short and firm eg “I don’t like being called gay. Stop calling me that.” and then walk away. It is a good idea to practice beforehand what you are going to say.
Get away from the bully as quickly as possible. After speaking firmly, walk away and try to get where there are other people, or to a safe place.
If the bully is continually putting you down or name calling, act as if what they say has no affect on you. You can say things like “Yeah whatever” or “You think??”
After the bullying (as soon as possible).
Tell an adult in authority.
Tell someone you trust in your family.
If this adult doesn’t help, keep telling adults until someone helps.
If you are afraid to tell, ask someone to go with you.
Think about ways to keep safe eg walk to school with someone else. Try to not be alone when the bully is around.
Tell an adult…
What has happened.
How often it has happened.
Who was involved.
Who saw it happening.
When and where it happened.
What you have done about it.
Getting Help…
Many people are trying to stop bullying from happening, so you shouldn’t have to look far to get help.
The best people to help are those who are close and who care about you, or are in positions of responsibility… eg teachers, parents, coaches, leaders, counselors.
There are a number of websites on bullying and some of them are designed just for kids. Try putting “Bullying” into Google.
Your school counsellor can help you deal with bullying, by giving you some strategies to use and supporting you as you try them. Your counsellor can also help you see things from another perspective, especially if you are believing what the bully is saying about you.
Bullying is wrong…
Don’t blame yourself. Don’t take responsibility for the bullying and try to deal with it yourself. You are not being childish by asking an adult for help. There are many people who care about you and what happens to you. If you don’t know the bully’s name, observe them carefully – height, age, hair colour, clothes, anything that will help identify them. Looking at school class photos may help if it is someone at your school. Avoid being alone whenever possible. A lone person makes an easy target for a bully
You may like to keep a diary of what is happening. Keep note of the date, time, place, who, what happened, witnesses. If an adult gives you some bad advice, note that too.
If you are being ignored, given “the silent treatment”, it is good to keep a note of that eg the only person who spoke to me today was the teacher or I asked Jo to play today at interval and s/he just stared at me and walked away.