Why Me?

This is a question that people ask all the time. There is no one particular answer. People can be bullied for anything. Sometimes, people who display bullying behaviour towards others pick up on a small thing that makes someone stand out and they use it to hurt and humiliate them. This might be the way someone looks, the things they like doing or even the type of clothes they wear.

Many people who are being bullied blame themselves and feel it is their fault – but it isn’t. No-one deserves to be bullied and no-one has the right to make another person feel bad.

Some other reasons why a person might display bullying behaviour towards someone are:

• If a person doesn’t receive much attention from friends, parents or teachers, they might pick on someone just to feel popular or to be seen as ‘tough’ or ‘cool’.
• A person who is frustrated, hurt or angry may also bully another person.
• Learned behaviour – some people learn bullying behaviour from others. They may have seen them get their own way by pushing other people around and/or intimidating them.
• Some people display bullying behaviour towards others because they are also being bullied themselves.
• If someone is dealing with an issue at home, they may lash out at another. It can make them insensitive to other people’s feelings.
• Some people display bullying behaviour towards others because they feel it stops them from becoming bullied.
• Sometimes, watching a lot of violent films and/or video games can make a person try out violent things. In cases like this, they usually try them out on someone who appears to be smaller or vulnerable.

It is important to remember the above list are reasons and not excuses to hurt someone else. Bullying behaviour is cruel, humiliating and causes a lot of pain to the person being bullied and it must be reported to ensure those affected receive the support they need.

To rehabilitate, change behaviour and encourage compassion and empathy, those who display bullying behaviour also need our support. If we want to help them grow up learning to interrelate with others without manipulation, harassment and abuse, we need to commit the resources and attitude to make that happen.

Everyone is different and it’s these differences that make us unique and individual and they should be recognised and celebrated.