What is bullying?

Many young people are bullied for no particular reason; bullying hurts and often young people will feel frightened, very lonely and don’t know who they can talk to about the bullying. Sometimes they are afraid to tell someone that they are being bullied.

Bullying can happen in many different ways and can happen over long periods of time, bullying is when someone:

• Calls you names and threatens you
• Hits and shoves you
• Sends you nasty telephone calls or text messages
• Steals your money or damages your belongings
• Makes jokes about you and your family
• Takes your friends away from you
• Stares at you makes violent gestures at you
• Spreads rumours about you
• Sends insulting messages on the internet about you
• Makes you so frightened that you won’t go out to meet your friends, go to your clubs, sometimes you are so frightened you are afraid to go to school

Why do some young people bully?

They may see it as a way of being popular, or making themselves tough. Sometimes young people bully to get attention, they may be jealous of the person they are bullying; they may even have been bullied themselves. Bullies may not always realise how they are making the person being bullied feel.

What can I do if I am being bullied?

No one expects any young person to deal with bullying on their own, if you are being bullied don’t blame yourself as it is not your fault. It is very important if you are being bullied or you know someone who is that you tell someone you trust, may be your keyworker, the staff that work with you, your social worker, your fostercarer, your teacher, someone from your family, your friend. If you found it hard to speak about the bullying you could always write it down and give it to an adult. You have a right to be safe and it is the adult’s job to get the bullying stopped.

It can be very hard to tell someone you are being bullied but as soon as you do the bullying can start to be dealt with.

If you need any more information or advice on what to do about bullying you can contact:

IAYPIC:

Tel: 01 872766/ Text: 087 9036598

Childline:

Tel: 1800 66 66 66