Sesma Against Bullying

Contact Us

Physical & Sexual Bullying

“Bullying is the repetitive, intentional hurting of one person or group by another person or group, where the relationship involves an imbalance of power. It can happen face to face or online.”

Definition of Bullying by the Anti Bullying Alliance

For Advice On Sexual Bullying CLICK HERE
Physical Bullying

We kind of know when we are being bullied, there is a distinct feeling to the situation and that its not just someone looking for a fight. 
There is the body language, the way they look at & talk to their friends and to you. It all gives off a vibe, a feeling, which you can tune it too.
If we can pick up on this vibe/feeling quick enough we can avoid the situation before it happens. Listen to your gut feeling.

Stick with your friends

If the situation seems threatening or dangerous, it’s best to get away from the bully. Even if it is not a dangerous situation, remember that you don’t have to listen to someone saying mean things to you. The best thing to do might be to calmly walk away from the person. This will send the message that you won’t put up with this kind of treatment.

Imagine you are walking away from a friend. This is a way to make sure your body language does not give away a sense of fear.

Most bullies are playing to an audience, and so a crowd may gather if the bully has begun to taunt you. Don’t let the crowd keep you confined; tell them assertively to let you leave.

Walk Away

Be aware of your surroundings and the people you are with. Place yourself around friends who care about you and support you. If necessary, ask them to protect you. If you don’t have many friends at school, try to stay in open, public places if you know bullies are watching you.

Bullies typically have friends following them and rely on bystanders to look the other way when you’re being bullied.

Know where the safe places are in your school. It may be a class room, a regular spot in the playground that a teacher stands or a bench that the School Buddies meet up at.

Body Language

When confronted with a bully, show positive body language and facial expressions. Be clear with a calm voice and ask them to stop. Also keep your head up and look them in the face. 
Eye contact is a powerful way to show the bully that you’re confident and not afraid of them. Don’t shift your gaze down or look around as if afraid. Look straight at a bully or—if it’s too difficult—focus on their eyebrows.

Most bullies will be taken aback by your direct eye contact.

Sound Confident

Talk assertively and with assurance, and tell the bully to stop harassing you and to leave you alone. Practice this skill in the mirror if you want to be extra convincing. When addressing a bully, it helps to be loud and firm, and look the bully in the eye.

Say something like, “No, stop bullying me” or “Stop it [Name]”.
As you say this, make sure that you look the bully directly in the eye and speak in a calm, clear voice.

Telling the bully to stop harassing you will also draw attention to the situation. If you can’t shake the bully, you might be able to convince the people watching not to be bystanders.

Don’t call the bully names, this may enrage them and increase their efforts to hurt you.

Stay Calm

Do not become angry or upset, no matter what bullies do or say. Bullies thrive on getting a dramatic response out of their victims, and will do things to make you upset or angry. If you avoid responding in these ways, the bully will soon realize that they have nothing to gain by harassing you.

Do not make angry outbursts or cry when bullied. Either response will give the bully exactly what they’re looking for.

Bullies are trying to control your emotions, don’t give them your remote and let them press your buttons.

Defend Yourself

Fighting people in real life has consequences.  You are most likely going to get hit or hurt.

Fighting may get you into trouble with the school or your parents. However your parents will most possibly be glad you stood up to the bully. Explain that you were simply defending yourself from an attacking bully.

Don’t wait to be hit by the bully, you will know whether the situation has gone beyond talking your way out and that the bully intends to be violent. Hit first and escape, getting out of the situation is your top priority. 

How to Defend Yourself

Tell Someone

After any experience with a bully, whether it is physical, sexual, verbal or cyber, you should tell a trustworthy adult (like a parent or teacher) what has happened. It is their job to make sure you are safe.
It is important that you tell adults about the bullying situation as soon as it begins, in case it escalates into something more serious with time.

Speak with your teachers/parents and discuss what action they intend to take. You may not want direct action to be taken, but it to be noted or for the teachers to watch the individual or group involved. Group sessions within a class on the topic of bullying could be brought up to make all aware the feelings and damage that bullying can cause. This will make the bullies aware that teachers are going to be more vigilant and decrease situations of bullying and increase the reporting from bystanders.

If there has been numerous situations where you have been physically bullied, this can be classes as “assault” and may warrant the intervention of the police.

Reporting Bullying