Let’s all raise our hands if we have been bullied at least once in our lives!
* The whole world raises their hands*
Uh huh, that’s what we thought! Girls it is now so common and normal for us to hear about someone being bullied, or for us to be bullied ourselves. Do you remember when it used be a thing that you would just hear about, or read about…now it’s everywhere!
We’ve had girls ask us in the past, how it has become more and more normal… well it may be just that, the more people that bully others and get away with it, the more normal it seems.
Girls, do you think people that are happy with themselves, high in self-esteem and confidence, and just generally people that love themselves, do you think those people are bullies? Sometimes it may seem that way, but if you look a little deeper, that person is not happy with themselves, if they were, they would not feel the need to put others down!
There is a quote which makes so much sense in the case of bullies: “Hurt people, Hurt people” Basically this means that people who are hurt themselves are generally the people that hurt others, that is how they deal with their own issues.
Now let us clarify one thing: “IT IS NOT OKAY TO PUT SOMEONE DOWN/INSULT/ PHYSICALLY OR EMOTIONALLY HARM SOMEONE”. Girls, bullying is not okay! Unfortunately we cannot influence the way others speak to us or treat us, or even some of the things that happen to us BUT we can control the way that we handle it!
We have come up with some tips below on how to deal with being bullied:
TRY NOT TO REACT: Sometimes any reaction at all, could be something that the bully is after. Walking away from a bully when they are putting you down, may not be the easiest option, but it is certainly effective.
IF THE BULLY USED TO BE A FRIEND/ YOU’RE ON TALING TERMS: Try to get them alone, one on one, and ask if they’re okay! This may sound very strange, why would we care if THEY were okay or not. Well if the person knows that you care about their feelings, chances are they will feel guilty about not caring about yours!
TELL SOMEONE YOU TRUST: Speak to a teacher/school counselor or some other adult that you trust is never a bad idea. Let them know what is happening and perhaps ask if they have any advice on how to deal with it.
IF IT GET’S SERIOUS: Girls, if the bullying gets out of hand and is making school life or any other environment unbearable, take action! This may mean talking to the teacher, deputy principle or principle. Don’t ever be embarrassed to do this…it’s part of their job to care about the wellbeing of the students!
Girls, as we mentioned before, bullying is in NO WAY okay! If you have any specific scenarios you are needing help with, or would like to see other girl’s share their stories, head to our Online Standing Strong Site: www.standingstrong.club
Other Useful Contacts:
Lifeline WA: 13 11 14
Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800
Bullying: How to get through it…
