Friday, February 5, 2016

Hey, guys, I have written this report 
just thought you might like to read it.

Bullying 
and Cyber-Bullying

I reckon most people reading this agree that bullying is never appropriate. Most people would also probably say they would stand up to a bully. But when it actually happens, it can be very hard, and a lot of the time, it can feel like all your courage has left you. I’m writing this report to inform people about bullying, and to help people to recognise and prevent bullying, cyber or not.

Bullying is when a person or a group of people physically abuse someone, like hitting or kicking, or when people psychologically abuse other people, like teasing, leaving mean notes, or spreading nasty rumours. Cyber bullying is when people send nasty messages to other people, spread unkind and/or untrue rumours over the internet, or share mean or embarrassing photos.

People do this for many reasons. Sometimes they do it because they are angry and take it out on others. Sometimes they do it to try to be cool, or to scare other people into doing what they want. And some other times they are jealous of people being better at things than them or having things they want. Also, they do it because they think they are superior.

When people are bullied, sometimes no matter if they know that it’s not true, they still harbor a secret fear that it is. Sometimes they will not talk or eat as much as usual, and will not want to connect with others a lot. Also, they might want to be alone a lot and cry a lot. If you see someone crying, the “code of conduct” is almost always ask them if they’re ok and respect their wishes, especially if they ask to be left alone. Harassing them with questions when they are already upset will only make matters worse.

If you are being bullied or know about it happening to someone else, then you should tell a teacher, parent, or other trusted adult right away. This is always the first step in preventing it happening again. If you are being cyber-bullied, then you should save the message and show it to a trusted adult. Then they can help you block the person and alert the moderator. Most sites should have an “alert moderator” button. Remember that you should never use that button without a good reason.

Ok, now you know how to deal with bullying and cyber-bullying. If you have no trusted adult to go to, then you can call Kid’s Helpline on 1800 55 1800. They are always happy to help and will not even make you tell them your name or address. I have included their website in the sources list at the bottom of the page. Thanks for reading this report, and stay safe!



Sources:
Kids Helpline: http://www.kidshelpline.com.au/ (also has a games section that is safe for kids)
Behind the News: http://www.abc.net.au/btn/index.htm (search with keywords: Kids Helpline, Cyber Bullying, Bullying)

Thanks for reading! If you want to write a guest post, then please leave a comment telling me so and I will see if we can manage it. Bye!