Bullying is something that affects many children and young people. Some children are bullied by others, some children behave in ways that are bullying to others, and some children can be upset when they see friends being bullied.
There are lots of behaviours that can be described as bullying including
- being called names, teased or having lies told about you or people you love
- being pushed, hit, kicked or physically hurt
- having money or belongings stolen
- cyber-bullying is the name given to bullying that happens on email, mobile phones, websites and gaming machines where someone sends unkind messages, shares images or photos without your permission or uses the internet to tell tales about you.
Everyone falls out with friends from time to time and sometimes friends can argue or disagree but when the argument or disagreement turns in to name calling, hitting or unkind behaviour which is upsetting to you, it can turn into bullying. Bulling can be very hard to cope with, it can make you think you've done something wrong or that you deserve to be treated badly. It can make you not want to go to school, see friends or do activities you usually enjoy.
If you or someone you know is being bullied, it can help to talk to someone you trust like a parent or carer, a family member or someone at school like a teacher.