Bullying can be different things, but when someone keeps doing or saying things to hurt or upset another person then that’s bullying!

Bullying can be things like leaving people out of games or activities, making them do things they don’t want to do, or hitting them.

The most important thing is, no one has got the right to bully you. You don’t have to put up with it – ever!
If a bully says “it’s just a joke”, then think to yourself would the person being bullied laugh? If the answer is no, then it isn’t a very good joke, is it?

The first step you can take, if you’re being bullied, is to tell the bully you don’t like what they’re doing.
The second step (if the first step doesn’t work) is to move away and/or play with your friend

If the bully doesn’t stop you should:

Talk to an adult you trust about the bully and the bullying.
Talk to a teacher, your parent or caregiver or another adult from your family or whanau. Just tell an adult you trust and keep telling people until someone helps you. They can work with the school, or wherever the bully is, to make sure the bullying stops.

Facts:
Sometimes people bully others because:
- they may have low self esteem
- they might have been bullied themselves
- they might think that it’ll make them cool to other kids or to themselves.

Lots of different people get bullied.  Kids right throughout New Zealand and the world are bullied every day. It doesn't matter who you are. Some people that were bullied as children were Sir Winston Churchill, the Queen, actors Mel Gibson, Tom Cruise, and Kate Winslet, Tyra Banks (presenter of 'America's Top Model') and director Steven Spielberg, just to name a few of the famous people who were bullied as kids.

If you or someone you know is being bullied online or via a mobile phone tell your parents and they can contact the Mobile Phone or Internet Service Provider (like Telcom, Vodafone, Ihug, Xtra or Clear) and have the bully’s number/s blocked so the messages can't reach your phone.

There are lots of ways that a bully can be helped so they learn to feel better about themselves and about others. You telling someone about the bullying helps you and could really help them.

Ask your Police education officer or teacher if your class can do the ‘Kia Kaha’ lessons at school.

Constable Bryan often vists schools in Auckland with his friends the Vodafone Warriors to help them run their anti bullying scheme called W.A.B. – Warriors Against Bullying – because the Warriors can’t stand bullying either. The W.A.B. motto is to ‘Kick bullying into touch’

Make sure you check out the Blogging fact sheet and the Help fact sheet for more facts to help you if you or somebody you know is being bullied.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, IF YOU ARE BEING BULLIED - TALK TO AN ADULT YOU TRUST