How to deal with bullies

If you think you are being bullied, here are some ideas that may help you stop it.

• Tell someone, even if you don’t think it will help. Just talking about a situation can help put it in perspective. You could talk to a friend; a parent; or a trusted teacher who you know will take what you’re saying seriously.
• Keep a record of incidents.
• Dolly’s Dream offers a 24/7 helpline that is free and you don’t have to give your name to that can be reached by call or text at 0488 881 033.

Bullies win when you’re upset, so here are some things you can practice:

• Act unimpressed: pretend not to notice if you’re excluded or if the bullying is verbal, say something like, ‘yeah, whatever’ or  ‘Oh, OK’.
• Walk away.
• Pretend to agree ‘yep, that’s what I’m like alright’ ‘Yeah, I’ve got red hair. Tried dyeing it but decided it was better red than green’…
• Look around for other friendship groups in or out of school.
• Get involved in clubs or activities at school where you’ll be safe.

If you are being cyberbullied, you can:

• Block senders.
• Keep messages by sending them to someone else. Don’t look at them yourself.
• Change passwords.
• Don’t retaliate.
• Talk to a friend, parent or teacher about how to deal with the bullies.
• If there are threats or calls to harm yourself, report abuse to the police and also the ISP or website.
• Click here to report cyberbullying or abusive content via the eSafety Commissioners website