Bullying - What can you do?
There may be times in your child's life when they are bullied or are subject to racism. In this country we are constantly striving to stamp out any kind of victimisation. There are laws to prevent intimidation and racism of any kind - but it would be wrong to say that incidents never happen. If you or your child are ever victims of any kind of bullying always try to remember two things:
There are many ways to deal with bullies that will help to protect you and prevent you from being drawn into any kind of conflict. Take a look at the list below.
Tell an adult that you trust
Nothing is ever so awful that you can't tell someone. If the problem has arisen in school - talk to the staff. All schools are required to have a policy on bullying - they will have strategies for dealing with it.
Talk to your child about the list of people they could safely turn to and trust - if they ran into any kind of difficulties. You could use the support network diagram on PLACE LINK HERE to jot down your child's ideas. It might also be worth talking about your own support network - adults often find it much harder to share problems, especially men.
Say no - mean no
If you don't want to do something, then say no and mean it. Don't smile, stand up straight to show that you are not afraid. Look people in the eye.
Stay Cool
If someone is taunting and goading - stay cool. Say things like ok, yeah - so you say - instead of rising to the bait.
But if you feel you are in real danger
Never put yourself at risk by trying to keep hold of your things. A bag or a phone can be replaced - you can't!
Walk away
Never hang around in a bad situation. Get away as soon as possible. If you know there are places where people hang around that you don't feel safe with - stay away, but tell an adult about these areas.
Get help
If you find that you or someone else is being ganged up on, try to get help straight away. Nasty words can soon turn to blows. Your safety is the most important thing.
As for Racism
If you see racist graffiti in places where you live or work - report it. Ask for it to be cleaned away.
If you hear people saying racist things or telling racist jokes - imagine how you would feel if you were the butt of the jokes. How do you feel about racist humour? How would you feel if you heard your child telling racist jokes? If you think that the rules of any clubs that you or your child belongs to are racist - tell the leader. If nothing changes - do you still want to be associated with the club?
Related Sections
Homophobic and Transphobic Bullying