Since the beginning of the human race, bullying has existed, erupted and evolved. It has escalated from hitting each other with clubs, to sending hurtful (and often illiterate) text messages. No human of today would deny saying hurtful things to someone at one point in their life, yet they deny it is bullying. I will not talk about the physical version of bullying, but the more frequent verbal type.
From a very young age, I was told ''Sticks and stones may break my bones; but words will never hurt me.''
I had been taught that I should not take anything to heart, and to stand up for myself at all times. That, like most things, had been much easier said than done.
Whilst trying to find ourselves, our guard is let down and our confidence levels hit an all-time low. We are easier targets because we have the motivation to find ourselves, while our bullies hide from themselves. The truth is, bullies are cowards!
According to Beatbullying statistics, 42% of children truant from school because of bullying. Most children wake up terrified of facing their bullies, and wishing they hadn't woken up at all.
Words are the most hurtful thing of all. Words have the power to make you feel anger, sadness, pain. The vast majority of bullying is verbal, and has a huge effect on the victims of verbal abuse. As I walk through the school courtyard, I hear and see bullying at least twice. Some of it is physical, some of it is verbal. The playground is a mere war zone of words, stripping down every child and baring their souls to the world.
In my personal experience, I know that facing someone who does everything in their power to make you feel like nothing is the hardest thing to do. I know that when you have been bullied for a while, it makes you feel numb. Eventually, the bully wins and makes you feel exactly what they want you to feel: like you're nothing. Let me assure everyone, being a victim of bullying certainly does not make you nothing. If anything, it makes you strong, mature human beings.
My advice, as a former victim of bullying, is this: Do not be an ostrich and bury your head in the sand. Don't sit back, take the abuse, and hope it will all go away. It won't, unless you do something about it. Tell your parents, your siblings, your teachers. Make sure your voice is heard. Take a stand against bullying!
