Counsellor

Bullying

Bullying is never ok. It’s hurtful and can impact someone for a long time. Students; remember there are people you can talk to and things you can do to stop the bullying. Parents; if you think someone is bullying your child, please talk to you child about strategies they can use to help stop the bullying and overcome the situation.

What is bullying?

It's more than just a fight or disliking someone. It’s being mean to someone over and over again.

Bullying is when someone or a group of people who have more power than you repeatedly use words or actions to hurt you.

Bullying can happen anywhere – at home, with friends, online, at school or on the bus

Types of bullying

There are many different types of bullying:

Repetitive Verbal: Name calling, teasing, and putting someone down, threatening to cause someone harm.

Repetitive Physical: Poking, hitting, punching, kicking, spitting, tripping or pushing someone, breaking someone’s things, pulling faces or making rude hand signals.

Repetitive Social: Lying, spreading rumours, playing horrible jokes, leaving someone out on purpose, embarrassing someone in public.

Repetitive Cyberbullying: Using technology to hurt someone else by sending hurtful messages, pictures or comments.

The key is these actions and behaviours are all REPETITIVE. They occur over and over again, not as a one off situation.

Why do people bully others?

There are lots of reasons why someone might bully others. Whatever the reason, bullying is never ok.

Someone who bullies another person might:

• Feel jealous
• Want others to like them
• Want to feel better about themselves
• Want to fit in with their friends
• Feel angry inside /Like to be in control or have power over others
• Have been bullied themselves
• Not know what they're doing is wrong
• If you suspect your child is bullying someone, talk to them about the impact they can be having on their victim and how they can make better choices to be kinder and a better friend.

What to do if you’re being bullied?

There’s always something you can do.

Here are some ideas:

• Keep your distance from bullying
• Don’t bully them back
• Tell them what they are doing is not ok
• Talk to an adult, teacher or counsellor you trust to help you
• Have someone help you report cyberbullying or assault
• Call Kids helpline on 1800 55 1800 to talk to a counsellor

Ref: https://kidshelpline.com.au/teens/issues/bullying