According to an article written by NoBullying.com, "Over 77% of kids have been bullied verbally, socially, and physically. Only 1 in 3 kids actually report that they were bullied." Verbal bullying includes: teasing, name calling, inappropriate sexual comments, taunting, and threatening to cause harm. Social bullying includes: leaving someone out on purpose, telling other children not to be friends with them anymore, spreading rumors about them, and embarrassing them in public.
Physical bullying includes: hitting, kicking, pinching, spitting, tripping, pushing, taking and breaking their things, and making rude gestures. All of these different types of bullying hurt people's feelings and can make them feel really bad about themselves. There are three types of people who are involved when it comes to bullying. The bully, witnesses, and the person being bullied.
1. Bully
One way bullying actually starts is by what they are taught at home - kids have to learn their behavior somewhere. Most bullies have low self-esteem and feel like they have to make themselves feel like they are better than everyone else, so they lash out. The bully is the one who are calling kids names, pushing them around, and making them feel like they aren't important. This can get to the point when a bully pushes someone so far that they actually take their life.
It is never okay to tell someone they should go die, or that they don't deserve to live their life anymore. This type of behavior actually happens everyday and bullies just continue doing their thing until it's too late. There are all of these stories about kids committing suicide because of someone being mean to them, so why do bullies continue to think it is okay to put someone down? Some parents make excuses for their kids by saying, "Kids will be kids" or, "I did stupid stuff when I was a kid too." Well, parents, if your kid is the problem, you should take action before something bad happens to the person they're bullying.
2. Witness
Witnesses are the ones who sees what is happening between the bully and the victim, but are not directly involved. Anytime you someone who is being put down you should stand up for them. It doesn't make you look like a coward, it makes you look like a better person. No one deserve to be bullied, so anytime you see it happening you should do anything you can to stop it. Whether it's getting involved yourself, or getting an adult involved.
Being a bystander is not the best option to take. Many bystanders think that it's "None of their business," or that they will become the new target for the bully, or that telling would make them a "tattle tale." Well guess what, standing up for something you think is wrong does not make you any of these things. It makes you someone who did the right thing. No one deserves to be bullied. How would you like it if it was the other way around and you were the one being bullied instead of the one watching it happen? You know you would want someone to stand by your side and help you out.
3. Victim
Bullying can lead to physical injury, social problems, and even death. Children who are bullied are also at risk for mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and self-esteem issues. Always know that there is someone out there to talk too, and someone out there that would be glad to get involved and stop the bullying. Telling someone that you are being bullied does not make you a coward or a tattle tale. It makes you strong and brave to fight for yourself and to make it stop. No one deserves to be put down and their life to be ruined.
Suicide is one of the biggest issues with bullying. Kids feel like they are alone and have no one, so they turn to this. If you are a victim of being bullied, never feel like you are alone. You are never alone, and you have so much potential in life that should be put to use. Never give up because everything will workout and you will be okay.
