Bullying, abuse, safety & the law
Bullying
Bullying is when someone uses their superior strength or influence to intimidate someone, or force them to do something.
Bullying can happen at:
- at school – in the yard, in class, in the toilets
- on the way to and from school
- on the bus
- on the Internet through social media
Remember
- Bullying could be done by friends, family, people at school and strangers – but it’s never ok
- It can happen in different places – like at school, home or online
- There are ways to get it stopped and ways to feel better about yourself
What to do if you are being bullied
Tell someone that you can trust. Make sure you share your worries with a parent, friend, teacher or a relative. The best way to protect yourself from being bullied is to tell someone so that you can get help. Don’t ignore bullying – it won’t go away on its own and it may get worse. If talking to someone face to face worries you then you can text, email or phone someone. If you don’t feel comfortable telling someone you know, you can call Childline 0800 1111 and they will listen and give you advice.
What the law says about bullying at school
If you are bullying others
It's often just as hard for people who have bullied others to ask for help. You may be worried that no-one will take you seriously or worried you will get into trouble by admitting that you have been bullying someone. But that is not true.
Speak to a teacher or a parent and talk through the reasons behind your bullying. They will be able to give you advice and support about how you stop bullying.
If you want to talk to someone anonymously, try calling Childline or the NSPCC. Although you may think that these organisations will only help victims, they're trained to help anyone in a confidential and non-judgmental way.