Helping Someone Else

Perhaps it isn’t you that is being bullied, but you know of someone who is. Maybe that person is not a close friend, but a classmate or someone else you know. Have you ever stood and watched someone being bullied?

Bystanders are those who witness bullying and/or online bullying happening yet don’t do anything to stop it. Very often, this is because they don’t know what to do or they are afraid of retaliation.

If you witness any form of bullying, it is important to tell someone. By doing nothing, you are sending a message to the bully that their behaviour is acceptable – and it isn’t!

Standing up to a bully is frightening. Telling someone is frightening – but if we don’t do this, the bullying will continue. People cannot help if they don’t know what is happening.

Whether you know the person being bullied or not, there are things that you, as a bystander, can safely do to support them:

• Don’t laugh and join in
• Don’t encourage the bully in any way
• Don’t video it
• Don’t share or like the posts (online bullying)
• Stay at a safe distance and help the bullied get away
• Write down everything you have seen and heard. This will be really helpful and help your teacher an understanding of what has been going on
• Don’t become an “audience” for the bully
• Reach out in friendship
• Help the bullied in any way you can
• Support the bullied person in private
• If you notice someone being isolated from others, invite them to join you
• Tell an adult

Remember, no act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted.

Don’t be part of the problem, be part of the SOLUTION!