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Being Bullied

There are many forms of bullying which can include name-calling, hitting, or stealing someone's things. There are also less visible forms of bullying, like sending nasty text messages or spreading false rumours about someone.

All sorts of people of all ages get picked on for lots of reasons. Being bullied can make you dread going to school, and can also make you feel depressed, lonely and even worse. If you're being bullied, you're not alone - every seven seconds another young person in Britain is going through it too. You might feel that there's no way out, but there are lots of ways to get help.

Remember - it's not your fault, and you have the right to live without being picked on.

Beat bullying

Bullying probably won't stop unless you stand up and do something positive about it, such as telling someone you can trust.

• Tell someone if you are being bullied. You shouldn't feel bad about reporting someone if they are making you feel bad.
• Act confidently to send out the message that you're not afraid.
• Strength in numbers: stay with others. You're more likely to be picked on if you're on your own.
• Keep a diary and keep all text messages as evidence of bullying. You can use it later to show that you're telling the truth.

If you suspect someone you know is being bullied, look for these signs:

• They become unhappy or withdrawn.
• They start missing school.
• They've got physical injuries they don't want to talk about.

If they are showing signs of the above, ask them if they are being bullied. They probably won't be comfortable revealing it at first, but let them know that you take their worries seriously, that you will support them if they want to tell their parents or teacher that they're being bullied.

Make your own anti-bullying poster

	You can make your own anti-bullying poster at Bullying UK: www.bullying.co.uk/poster. Get your friends or classmates to make their own posters too, and show people that you won't tolerate bullying at your school/youth club! You can also check out the gallery of posters that young people all over the country have created.

Support

You can get more information about bullying from the following sources, as well as support if you want someone to talk to (e.g. by calling ChildLine).