We are all different. Some people are tall, some are short. We all have different hair colour and different colour eyes. Some people might get picked on because they are seen as 'different'. It could be the colour of their skin or because of a disability like being blind or partially sighted - or because they seem cleverer than others.
Bullying is a problem in many schools and it can take many forms. Bullying usually happens when someone older or bigger picks on someone younger or smaller. Are you being picked on? Bullying doesn't have to be physical - just look at the list below:
Some types of bullying
teasing someone if they do not find the teasing funny
calling someone names
threatening someone
taking or damaging someone's things
playing 'unkind' practical jokes on someone if they don't find it funny
making someone feel uncomfortable or scared
ignoring someone or deliberately leaving them out of things
spreading rumours, saying or writing nasty things about someone
hitting or kicking someone or making them do things they don't want to do
forcing someone to hand over money or possessions
attacking someone because of their religion, colour or disability (for example, sight problems)
What's it like being bullied?
Bullying hurts. It can make you feel scared and upset. It can make you too scared to want to go to school. It can make you feel like there is something wrong with you and that you deserve to be bullied. (Remember, no one deserves to be bullied.)
Sometimes, it is difficult even to realise that you may be being bullied. You may try not to think about it, or feel you can ignore behaviour that is making you uncomfortable. Here are some possible signs of bullying. Does any of this sound familiar to you?
Are you frightened of walking to school and back alone?
Do you dread going to school each day?
Do you feel ill in the mornings because you're scared to go to school?
Do you sometimes not go to school?
Is your school work beginning to suffer?
Are you coming home from school with damaged clothes or books?
Are you coming home hungry (is someone taking your dinner money)?
Are you becoming withdrawn - not talking to other people much?
Are you having nightmares?
Has some of your stuff gone missing?
Do you find it hard to talk about what is wrong?
Are you finding it difficult to explain why you may have cuts and bruises?
Are you beginning to bully other children?
Do you feel that you're becoming angry or unreasonable for no particular reason?
Are you falling out with your friends and family?
Are you being picked on continually about wearing glasses or about your sight problem?
Do other children hide your things because they know you can't see very well and therefore won't find them?
If bullying goes on for a long time it can make you feel:
depressed like you're no good at anything
shy - you find it hard to talk to other people
like you are not doing well at school
alone
like threatening or attempting suicide
Why do bullies do it?
Although lots of bullies may seem very confident they might not be. Something may have happened to them to make them bully.
Maybe they get bullied by someone at home
Maybe they get bullied by other children
Maybe they're scared of getting picked on so they do it first
Maybe they feel like they don't fit in
Maybe they don't like themselves very much
Maybe they want to make themselves look tough
Maybe they think it's OK to hurt other people
