Don’t respond. If someone bullies you, remember that your reaction
is usually exactly what the bully wants. It gives him or her power over you.
Who wants to empower a bully?
Don’t retaliate. Getting back at the bully turns you into one and
reinforces the bully’s behavior. Help avoid a whole cycle of aggression.
Save the evidence. The only good news about digital bullying is that
the harassing messages can usually be captured, saved, and shown to someone who
can help. You need to do this even if it’s minor stuff, in case things
escalate.
Talk to a trusted adult. You deserve backup. It’s
always good to involve a parent but – if you can’t – a school counselor usually
knows how to help. Sometimes both are needed. If you’re really nervous about
saying something, see if there’s a way to report the incident anonymously at
school.
Block the bully. If the harassment’s coming in the form of instant
messages, texts, or profile comments, do yourself a favor: Use preferences or
privacy tools to block the person. If it’s in chat, leave the “room.”
Be civil. Even if you don’t like someone, it’s a good idea to
be decent and not sink to the other person’s level. Also, research shows that
gossiping about and trash talking others increases your risk of being bullied.
Treat people the way you want to be treated.
Don’t be a bully. How would you feel if someone harassed you? You know
the old saying about walking a mile in someone’s shoes; even a few seconds
of thinking about how another person might feel can put a big damper on
aggression. That’s needed in this world.
Be a friend, not a bystander. Watching or
forwarding mean messages empowers bullies and hurts victims even more. If you
can, tell bullies to stop or let them know harassment makes people look stupid
and mean. It’s time to let bullies know their behavior is unacceptable – cruel
abuse of fellow human beings. If you can’t stop the bully, at least try to help
the victim and report the behavior.
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