Bullying is a serious matter. It should never be brushed off as something that children and young people like you have to “tough out”. Bullying can affect a your sense of self-worth and future relationships. And in like really severe cases, bullying has contributed to injuries, attempted suicides and even death.
Bullying can happen anywhere.
Bullying can happen to anyone, anywhere, and at any time. It happens at home, at school, college and at the playground.
Bullying is mean, ugly behavior.
Bullying is mean, intentional behaviour to intimidate or harm someone physically, emotionally and/or mentally. It usually happens in school during unsupervised hours.
- Verbal bullying: Threatening, name-calling, insulting or making fun of someone based on their race, the way they dress, behave, or talk.
- Relational bullying: Gossiping, starting rumors or telling lies about someone, and excluding a person from a group.
- Physical bullying: Pinching, pushing, shoving, punching, kicking, fighting, extortion, destruction of property.
- Cyberbullying: Using social media, chat apps, emails etc to threaten, humiliate, shame someone.
Words can hurt too!
When a bully kicks or punches someone, it hurts them on the outside, but when a bully teases or calls them names, it hurts on the inside.
Teasing is just as bad!
Teasing and name-calling are the most common forms of bullying by children. Because they don’t leave scratches or bruises, they usually go unnoticed by parents or teachers.
All bullying is hurtful.
Bullying includes name-calling; spreading rumours and inappropriate sexual comments which can happen in person and online. Extorting for money, kicking, punching are direct forms of bullying. No one likes being beaten up for being different, or is forced to hand over their pocket money, or called fat every day.
Children bully for different reasons.
Bullies usually pick on other children to make themselves feel more important, popular, or in control. They pick on those who seem emotionally or physically weaker, or just act or appear different in some ways. Sometimes children bully because they themselves are victims of violence at home or in school.
Remember, no one likes a bully!
If you know someone who is being bullied, take action, and tell a trusted adult. You can also call Talian Nur 15999 to report bullying.
And don’t forget to join the World Children’s Day #KidsTakeover Schools Kindness Project! Join young people like you across Malaysia and the world to create safe, caring, and respectful schools and communities!
#KidsTakeover #MYkindness2018 #ENDviolence #SafetoLearn
