information for parents

Bully Awareness in neisd - Strategies for Victims

It's not easy when you are the victim of a bully. There are many strategies for victims to use to stop bullying when it is happening to them.

Below are some proven strategies:

Be Assertive

There are six key components of being assertive. They are as follows:
1. Speak strongly and firmly (tone of voice)
2. Face the bully directly (body language)
3. Look straight into the bully's eye (eye contact)
4. Use appropriate language (good choice of words)
5. Don't stand too close or too far away from the bully (proximity)
6. Have a calm look on your face (facial expressions)

Remain Calm

Remaining calm and not letting the bully get a reaction out of you is a powerful strategy. All of the "bullying experts" agree that bullies want to feel a sense of power over their victims. However, bullies only have this sense of power if you give it to them. You can also pretend that you are an actor or actress and act like the bullying doesn't bother you.


H- Help

Sometimes it is best to ask other people for help. Victims may go to friends, teachers, parents, or other adults for help. Speaking of talking to an adult about the bullying situation, it is important to remember that telling a grownup about what is happening is not tattling at all, but instead should be considered "telling" or "reporting." Tattling is when a kid tells an adult about something really little, just to get another person in trouble, and reporting is about something much bigger, or when someone may even be in danger. You should not keep bullying to yourself just because you are afraid it will be thought of as tattling.

A- Assert yourself

The best way to do this is by using an ''I-Statement." An "I statement" is worded like this:
"(Bully's name), I feel _________when you ________. Please_________." H- Humor
Remember that the bully wants to make you upset. So, instead of getting mad, try using a sense of humor. Try your best to refuse to do what the bully is demanding.

A- Avoid

Try to stay away from the bully as best as possible.

S- Self-Talk

“Self-Talk" means thinking in your head. If you are being bullied, think of good things about yourself so that you can still feel good about yourself even if a bully is picking on you.

O- Own It

Sometimes what the bully says to you might be true, so you can "own" the comment. An example would be that if you are being made fun of for wearing glasses, you could respond by saying, "All the better to see you with." Feel good about yourself, even if you have a weakness or disability. If you don't appreciate yourself, the bully will try to take advantage of you.

It is important to arm yourself with many strategies, because some days one of these strategies might not work, and another one will. You might need to go into your "bag of tricks" and pull out more ideas to try. Make sure that you don't fight back. If you fight back, then you are acting like a bully too. Violence doesn't solve anything; it will only make the situation worse and the bully will want to get revenge on you.