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What can I do if I am being bullied?

Your school may already have a way of dealing with bullying. For example, some schools

• have anti-bullying guidelines and procedures for dealing with incidents
• encourage anyone who is being bullied, or has witnessed bullying to tell someone about it
• have 'bully boxes' where people can leave notes about what is happening
• have student meetings or even 'courts' where problems like bullying are discussed and dealt with
• have specially assigned students or teachers who are there to help

If your school has an anti-bullying system, use it to get help. If you're not sure how it works then talk to a teacher.

Some schools ignore bullying but don't become resigned to being a victim. You can still help yourself and ask others to help you.

Tell a friend what is happening.
Ask him or her to help you. It will be harder for the bully to pick on you if you have a friend with you for support.

Try to ignore the bullying or say 'No' really firmly, then turn and walk away.
Don't worry if people think you are running away. Remember, it is very hard for the bully to go on bullying someone who won't stand still to listen.

Try not to show that you are upset or angry.
Bullies love to get a reaction - it's 'fun'. If you can keep calm and hide your emotions, they might get bored and leave you alone. As one teenager said to us, 'they can't bully you if you don't care'.

Don't fight back if you can help it.
Most bullies are bigger or stronger than you. If you fight back you could make the situation worse, get hurt or be blamed for starting the trouble.

It's not worth getting hurt to keep possessions or money.
If you feel threatened, give the bullies what they want. Property can be replaced, you can't.

Try to think up funny or clever replies in advance.
Make a joke of it. Replies don't have to be wonderfully brilliant or clever but it helps to have an answer ready. Practice saying them in the mirror at home. Using prepared replies works best if the bully is not too threatening and just needs to be put off. The bully might just decide that you are too clever to pick on.

Try to avoid being alone in the places where you know the bully is likely to pick on you.
This might mean changing your route to school, avoiding parts of playground, or only using common rooms or lavatories when other people are there. It's not fair that you have to do this, but it might put the bully off.

Sometimes asking the bully to repeat what they said can put them off.
Often bullies are not brave enought to repeat the remark exactly so they tone it down. If they repeat it, you will have made them do something they hadn't planned on and this gives you some control of the situation.

Keep a diary of what is happening.
Write down what details of the incidents and your feelings. When you do decide to tell someone, a written record of the bullying makes it easier to prove what has been going on.

You can get more details about how you can help prevent bullying by visiting our downloads page and looking at the leaflets and booklets that are in our Bully Pack and Child Safety Pack.