How to Stop Bullies
Determine if it’s bullying., Stay calm and tell the person to stop., Walk away., Talk to someone you trust., Think of ways to keep yourself safe, emotionally and physically.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Determine if it’s bullying.
There isn’t just one type of bullying—there are verbal, social and physical forms of the aggressive behavior known as bullying.
But what they all have in common is that they are unwanted and repeated (rather than one time) behaviors.Verbal bullying includes teasing, name calling, inappropriate sexual comments or jokes, taunts and threats.
Social bullying refers to attempts to hurt someone's reputation or relationships and can include spreading rumors about someone, telling others not to associate with that person or purposefully embarrassing someone in public.
It's important to note that verbal and social bullying don't always happen in person.
Cyberbullying is a type of bullying that happens through email, social media sites, phone messages, or in any other digital space.Cyberbullying can include threatening messages, online harassment, excessive texts or emails, embarrassing images or information posted on social media, and other verbal or social bullying tactics used in a digital space.Physical bullying happens when someone hurts another person's body or possessions.
Physical bullying includes spitting, hitting, pushing, kicking, punching, tripping and pulling as well as stealing or destroying someone's property.
Keep in mind that all of these behaviors can happen and not be considered bullying.
If a mean or aggressive behavior like hitting or name calling happens once, it isn't technically considered bullying.
But if it happens repeatedly, or it becomes obvious that the perpetrator intends to continue with the unwanted behavior, it can be called bullying. -
Step 2: Stay calm and tell the person to stop.
Look at the person who is bullying you and in a calm, clear voice tell him or her to stop, that his or her actions are inappropriate, or that he or she is being disrespectful.
If you’re good at joking with others and don’t feel threatened, you could also try to laugh off the comments or jokingly say something back.
A humorous response can disarm the bully by throwing him or her off guard.
If the bullying is happening online it's best not to respond to the messages.
If you know who the person is and feel comfortable telling them to stop, wait until you're face to face to do so., If you don’t feel safe or comfortable speaking up, simply walk away.
Remove yourself from the situation and go to a safe space where there are other people around whom you trust.
If you're dealing with a cyberbully, stop responding to the bully's messages or log out of the site.
To further remove yourself from the situation, block the bully so he or she can't contact you directly. , Go to an adult, a family member, a teacher, a colleague, someone you trust, and explain to them what happened.
Talking to someone else can help you feel less afraid and alone and it can help you determine what you need to do next to prevent any further bullying.
If you feel threatened or unsafe it’s best to talk to someone who has authority over the bully and can intervene on your behalf, such as a teacher, boss, or police officer. , It’s not up to you to fight back and you should always talk about what you’ve experienced with someone you trust.
There are, however, some things you can do to take control and help yourself:
If possible, avoid the person who is bullying you or locations where the bullying happens.
Surround yourself with other people, especially if the bullying tends to happen when you are alone.
If the bullying is happening online, consider changing your screen name or other online identifiers, updating your privacy settings so only friends and family can contact you, or opening a new account.
Remove information like your address or phone number from your online profiles and limit the amount of personal information you share in the future.
Don't give bullies additional ways to get in contact with you.
Document when and where the bullying happens and what is done to you.
It helps to have documentation of what happened if the bullying persists and further steps need to be taken by an authority figure.
If the bullying is happening online, save all messages and emails and take screenshots of any social media posts. -
Step 3: Walk away.
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Step 4: Talk to someone you trust.
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Step 5: Think of ways to keep yourself safe
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Step 6: emotionally and physically.
Detailed Guide
There isn’t just one type of bullying—there are verbal, social and physical forms of the aggressive behavior known as bullying.
But what they all have in common is that they are unwanted and repeated (rather than one time) behaviors.Verbal bullying includes teasing, name calling, inappropriate sexual comments or jokes, taunts and threats.
Social bullying refers to attempts to hurt someone's reputation or relationships and can include spreading rumors about someone, telling others not to associate with that person or purposefully embarrassing someone in public.
It's important to note that verbal and social bullying don't always happen in person.
Cyberbullying is a type of bullying that happens through email, social media sites, phone messages, or in any other digital space.Cyberbullying can include threatening messages, online harassment, excessive texts or emails, embarrassing images or information posted on social media, and other verbal or social bullying tactics used in a digital space.Physical bullying happens when someone hurts another person's body or possessions.
Physical bullying includes spitting, hitting, pushing, kicking, punching, tripping and pulling as well as stealing or destroying someone's property.
Keep in mind that all of these behaviors can happen and not be considered bullying.
If a mean or aggressive behavior like hitting or name calling happens once, it isn't technically considered bullying.
But if it happens repeatedly, or it becomes obvious that the perpetrator intends to continue with the unwanted behavior, it can be called bullying.
Look at the person who is bullying you and in a calm, clear voice tell him or her to stop, that his or her actions are inappropriate, or that he or she is being disrespectful.
If you’re good at joking with others and don’t feel threatened, you could also try to laugh off the comments or jokingly say something back.
A humorous response can disarm the bully by throwing him or her off guard.
If the bullying is happening online it's best not to respond to the messages.
If you know who the person is and feel comfortable telling them to stop, wait until you're face to face to do so., If you don’t feel safe or comfortable speaking up, simply walk away.
Remove yourself from the situation and go to a safe space where there are other people around whom you trust.
If you're dealing with a cyberbully, stop responding to the bully's messages or log out of the site.
To further remove yourself from the situation, block the bully so he or she can't contact you directly. , Go to an adult, a family member, a teacher, a colleague, someone you trust, and explain to them what happened.
Talking to someone else can help you feel less afraid and alone and it can help you determine what you need to do next to prevent any further bullying.
If you feel threatened or unsafe it’s best to talk to someone who has authority over the bully and can intervene on your behalf, such as a teacher, boss, or police officer. , It’s not up to you to fight back and you should always talk about what you’ve experienced with someone you trust.
There are, however, some things you can do to take control and help yourself:
If possible, avoid the person who is bullying you or locations where the bullying happens.
Surround yourself with other people, especially if the bullying tends to happen when you are alone.
If the bullying is happening online, consider changing your screen name or other online identifiers, updating your privacy settings so only friends and family can contact you, or opening a new account.
Remove information like your address or phone number from your online profiles and limit the amount of personal information you share in the future.
Don't give bullies additional ways to get in contact with you.
Document when and where the bullying happens and what is done to you.
It helps to have documentation of what happened if the bullying persists and further steps need to be taken by an authority figure.
If the bullying is happening online, save all messages and emails and take screenshots of any social media posts.
About the Author
Virginia Martin
With a background in digital media and internet, Virginia Martin brings 14 years of hands-on experience to every article. Virginia believes in making complex topics accessible to everyone.
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