Imagine living a life where you wake up to a day filled of someone bullying you because the way you look, or just because you are who you are. What if this bully made you feel like you had no way out? Now, imagine the guilt you must feel being the reason why someone wants to end their life. A Girl Like Her is a mock of a documentary. It may not be based off of a true story, but it speaks for many stories similar. This film can be found on Netflix, and out of all movies on there, this one is by far the most moving. It is about the outside aspects of bullying, focusing in on the bullier. We always hear about what it is like to be bullied, but never what it is like to be the one to carry out the bullying.
Jessica Burns is the victim who has experienced six months of constant bullying, and third degree harassment. In this movie, we get to see the toll it takes on someone emotionally when they are bullied everyday. It is not just cyberbullying, it is in school and it is something that is hard to run away from. The teachers don’t normally step in because they do not know the severity of the situation, but they do see things going on. Burns wears a camera to school to capture what she has to go through. The audience gets to see both sides of the story.
Avery Keller is the bully. She plays the popular girl in school, spoiled, stays in her own clique. She portrays herself as someone who is perfect, but we see she has many demons in her closet. The bullies are the ones who hold in their emotional issues, they have so much anger they do not know how to deal with. The only way they know how to let it out, is to aim their anger at someone. Making someone else feel like less of a person makes the bully feel like they are more powerful.
Seeing both perspectives of this heartbreaking story, you get to see how the bullying turns into a cry for help. Bullies are usually insecure about themselves and are dealing with something very emotionally challenging. When I think of a situation like this, I truly only feel bad for the victim and I can’t even try to side myself with the bully. Getting to hear the other side of the story helps me understand that the bullies are bullying themselves the most. They fear getting rejected, so instead of trying to be accepted by others, they strive for superiority and build walls.
After understanding the severity and effects of bullying, there are simple steps you can take to prevent it. If you see someone or are getting bullied, tell someone. You may feel trapped and feel like there is no way out, but you are not alone and there are many resources and people that will help to resolve the situation. The worst part about bullying is that you feel alone. We don't know what others are going through and some little things and negative comments can push someone over the edge. Teachers or leaders to children and teenagers should be aware of the signs of bullying and provide mediation to the issue. We should all speak up and stand up towards bullying. You never know, you could be saving someone’s life.
