Am I a bully?
Nobody behaves at their best 100% of the time – we can all be mean, grumpy or thoughtless sometimes – but what turns a bad day into bullying behaviour?
Why do people bully?
There is no one type of person who is a bully, and there can be lots of reasons why one person chooses to bully another person.
How do you know if it’s bullying?
In some friendships, it’s normal for mates to tease each other, but sometimes it goes further than that. The main thing is finding out how the other person feels.
If you’re not sure about the way you treat someone else, think about…
- How does it make them feel?
- Is it a one-off or does it happen a lot?
- Are you treating them differently from other people? Are you singling them out?
- Does it happen when other people are around or only when it’s just you?
- Do you get a sense of satisfaction if you get under their skin?
- How do you feel? Are you ashamed or embarrassed about something you've said or done?
What can you do if you think you might have been bullying someone?
There are positive steps you can take if you think you might have been a bully.
How to stop
If you think that you have bullied someone, or are still doing it, find out how to make a change.
Everybody makes mistakes – it’s part of life – but bullying is a mistake that can have serious consequences for the person you’re bullying and for you, so it’s really important to make a change; and you don’t have to do it on your own.
If you, or someone you know, is experiencing bullying, speak out and seek help from a trusted adult, or contact Childline (Call 0800 1111).
Information courtesy of the BBC/CBBC Anti bullying week website