Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 4: Support someone who is being bullied
• Part 2 of 4: Intervening to stop bullying
• Part 3 of 4: Report harassment to an adult or supervisor
• Part 4 of 4: Working together to prevent bullying
• Tips
• Warnings

Bullying is a big problem, but it is a problem that you too can do something about. People who bully can seem powerful. They can be popular or physically intimidating, but they are not as confident and powerful as they seem. Often, bullies secretly feel insecure and powerless. They bully to appear strong in the eyes of others. If you go up against them and support a friend or peer who is being bullied, you are taking control of the bully over that person. By learning how to respond when you witness bullying, you can make a big difference in the lives of others.

To step

Part 1 of 4: Support someone who is being bullied

1. Get as close to a person who is being bullied as possible. People tend to leave when they are bullied. Fleeing the scene leaves the person being bullied alone, vulnerable, and embarrassed, as he or she becomes more visible to onlookers. Instead, go to the person being bullied - sit, walk, or stand next to them.
   • If a close friend is being bullied, make arrangements so that you can be with the person in situations where bullying usually occurs. For example, you can plan to walk with them between classes or on the way to school.
   • Even if you don't know the person being bullied, still go up to them and walk with them. Showing courage in these situations breaks the "paralysis" that can take hold of bystanders in bullying. Many of your peers want to do the right thing but are too scared. If you take the first step, others will follow.
   • If you think violence is going to be used, get an adult quickly.
2. Ignore the person acting like a bully. Most cases of verbal bullying can be handled by ignoring it. People who bully want attention, so they hope bystanders will stop and watch. If you ignore the bullying, you deprive the person of what they want, and they will often stop.
   • Even if someone who is intimidating says something funny or quirky, never smile or respond positively.
   • If you witness cyberbullying, never share these negative messages.
3. Encourage others to support the person being bullied. As soon as you notice bullying, address those around you and let them know that the behavior you are witnessing is not correct. Then indicate that you all need to do something to stop it. Simple directions can help others overcome fear and do the right thing.
   • First, identify the behavior as erroneous. You can say something like, "This is not right", "That's ridiculous" or "This is going too far".
   • Invite others to help you stop the bullying: "We can't let this go on", "Let's help him / her" or "We have to do something".
   • When you go to the person who is being bullied, gesture to others to come with you.
4. Distract attention from the bullying. When bullied, people tend to paralyze and wait to see what's going to happen. Rather than watch passively, you can control what happens next and redirect everyone to something positive. Change the subject or create a diversion and try to positively include the person being bullied.
   • You can say things like, "This is too much drama for a Monday" or "The bell is about to ring. Let's go.'
   • Try to compliment the person being bullied in some way.
   • Involve the person being bullied in a conversation. Even if you don't know the person well, you can ask him or her if he or she saw a recent movie or has plans for the weekend.
   • If you don't know anything to say while things heat up, create a diversion. Spill a bottle of water, drop your books, shut a locker, or set a timer. Distraction maneuvers break the tension and allow everyone to reassess what to do.
5. Leave with the person being bullied. Often times, the best way to calm a bullying is to help the person being bullied escape - especially if the bullying has attracted a large audience and things get tense. Encourage the person being bullied to leave with you and see an adult.
   • You can say something simple like, "Hey, let's get out of here."
   • It is a good strategy to ask the person being bullied for help. You ask for help with homework to be done now or to get a message - you can even pretend you've lost something and ask the person for help in looking for it.
6. Assure the person being bullied that it is not their fault. It can be difficult not to put bullying on yourself. Tell the person being bullied that the problem is not theirs. Explain that bullies are the ones who feel insecure - that can really help the one being bullied.
   • Say something like, "You are really strong. The bully is the one who is weak because they have to bully people to feel good. It's not cool. "
   • Indicate that you have time to talk if the other person is feeling upset in some way.
   • Encourage the other person to tell an adult and offer to go along with the report.

Part 2 of 4: Intervening to stop bullying

1. Use confident body language when addressing someone who is bullying. You don't have to confront a bully if you don't feel safe. But if you think you can, make sure you turn to the bully. Stand up straight and, without exaggerating, make yourself as tall as possible. Look the other person in the eye to convey your confidence.
2. Tell the bully to stop. Once you get the bully's attention, communicate clearly with the person bullying and just tell them to stop. Make sure your voice is assertive and still calm.
   • You can just say, "What you are doing is not cool. Please stop ". Or you can say, "I don't like the way you treat my girlfriend. Stop it.'
   • Avoid yelling or retaliation. You don't want to hurt a bully's feelings. Most bullies struggle with themselves, so treat them with respect.
   • If you witness cyberbullying, you can send the bully a private message telling them you know what's going on and they need to stop.
3. Try to calm the situation as soon as possible. If you confront a bully, they may feel embarrassed and upset because his or her attempt to appear powerful and stay in control has failed. Do everything you can to help the person save face and have time to reflect on their own actions without publicly humiliating them.
   • The most effective approach is to simply leave (with the person who was bullied) after the intervention.
   • You may also want to help the bully save face by saying something like, "I know you were kidding. Let's all take a breather before you leave.
   • If you feel comfortable, reach out to bully later in the day. Let the person know that you don't tolerate bullying, but that you know he or she is a good person.

Part 3 of 4: Report harassment to an adult or supervisor

1. Document cases of harassment. After you witness the bullying of someone by a friend or peer, write down what you saw, heard, and felt and provide additional details about what led to the event. If you have a cell phone or other recording device handy and you are in a location where you can use it, record what is happening.
   • Try to write down what happened as soon as possible after the event. Our memories get worse over time.
   • Also record the names of other witnesses, the date and time of the event, and the location.
   • Try to write down what everyone said and did leading up to and during the event.
   • If necessary, ask other witnesses what they have observed and write it down as well.
2. Share what you saw with a trusted adult. As soon as you can, report the event to an adult you trust. Tell one of your parents, a teacher, counselor, school nurse, or go to school administration and ask for an appointment with the principal. Share a copy of your documentation with them.
   • Report harassment, whether at school, online, or elsewhere.
3. Check if something has been done with your report to make sure action has been taken. Adults and supervisors are not perfect, and sometimes they forget really important things, like doing something about bullying. A few days after reporting bullying, check to see if action has been taken or if any other information is needed from you. If this doesn't work, tell another adult or supervisor.
   • If bullying continues to be a problem in your school or community, continue to write down what is happening and keep checking with adults and leaders.

Part 4 of 4: Working together to prevent bullying

1. Don't let common goals of bullying feel left out. People who bully often choose their victims among those who already experience social exclusion or who are unique in some way. These groups are easy targets because they can stand out or appear relatively defenseless. A good way to prevent bullying before it starts is to include and befriend people who might otherwise become the target of bullying.
   • If you see someone eating alone for lunch or walking alone, ask them to join you.
   • Certain groups of people, such as LGBTQ youth, people with disabilities, or members of minority groups, are often the target of bullying. Bullying is difficult for everyone, but since members of these groups tend to be more bullying than others, it is important that you pay attention to them.
2. Also forgive and involve people who have bullied others. Don't make the mistake of thinking of someone who bullying themselves as a bad person. Make sure you never bully or retaliate with these people. Most people who bully just want attention, but they handle it the wrong way. Help them find a more positive way to communicate with others.
   • If possible, try to compliment, include, or even befriend the person who bullied.
   • You can either just pretend the bullying didn't happen and talk to the bully later about something completely different.
   • You can also do something about the situation with a comment such as, "I realize it just got a little tense, but I hope we can just leave that for what it is and get along better."
3. Form a committee or team to address harassment on an ongoing basis. You will not end the bullying with a single action or event. Reading articles like this and standing up against bullying when it happens are excellent steps to take, but if you really want to end bullying in your community or school, it requires an organized approach. Ask a teacher or parent to help you start a group that focuses on bullying.
   • The committee can be either an informal group or an official school club, but it must include both students and adults.
   • Some important actions you can take include identifying where bullying normally occurs and ensuring that those areas are better monitored, holding regular meetings to raise awareness, and ensuring that your school or organization has set rules and guidelines for how to tackling bullying.

Tips

• If you don't feel safe to intervene yourself, tell a trusted adult first.
• Always stay calm when dealing with bullies. Don't light the fire.
• Be brave. Stand up to the bully and speak up. Mobilize support against bullies and let them know they are wrong.
• Help your friend, sibling, if they are bullied and can't stand up for themselves because they are too scared, then stand up for them and the bullies will stop - otherwise, get the help of a guardian, teacher, parents, or an adult and ask if they can help.

Warnings

• Some forms of bullying can be very serious and should be addressed immediately by a supervisor. Immediately find an adult in any of the following cases:
  • Someone has a gun.
  • Someone has threatened to seriously injure someone else ...
  • There have been hateful threats or actions (from racism, homophobia, etc.).
  • Someone has been sexually assaulted.
  • Someone has committed a crime (such as a robbery or extortion)