If you are the target of a bully, the worst thing you can do is stay silent. But that’s what most students — and even many adults — choose to do. StopBullying.gov reports that as many as 80% of students don’t notify an adult about bullying, whether they are the target or a witness. The website has a section called Resources for Kids with ideas about how to stand up for yourself or others.
Bullying is a form of violence that can be physical (hitting, kicking, spitting, pushing), verbal (teasing, threatening, name-calling), psychological (excluding someone, spreading rumors, intimidating) or sexual (touching, assault).
Tell the bully in a calm voice to stop what they’re doing.
If speaking up doesn’t seem safe, walk away and find an adult who you trust.
Talking to an adult can make you feel less alone. Plus, an adult might have ideas for coming up with a plan to stop the bullying.
Stay away from places where bullying happens and stay close to adults and other kids. Most bullying happens when adults aren’t there.
If you see someone else being bullied, tell an adult and be kind to the kid being bullied. Staying silent is not good because the bully will think it’s OK to be mean.
Cyberbullying is not just mean, in some cases it’s against the law.
Nancy Price is a multimedia journalist for GV Wire. A longtime reporter and editor who has worked for newspapers in California, Florida, Alaska, Illinois and Kansas, Nancy joined GV Wire in July 2019. She previously worked as an assistant metro editor for 13 years at The Fresno Bee. Nancy earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. Her hobbies include singing with the Fresno Master Chorale and volunteering with Fresno Filmworks. You can reach Nancy at 559-492-4087 or Send an Email
