To give help, get some skills. Okay, so you’ve decided that you want to help in a situation that you’ve noticed is not okay. However, wanting to do something doesn’t mean you necessarily know what to do. By learning the right skills, you will know how to safely step in the next time you see a bullying situation.
- There are several things you can do to help. You can use these techniques in person or online:
- Unfollow/unfriend him/her or block his/her number. No one deserves to be treated this way. And you don’t want to make the situation worse by reading or sharing the content.
- Say something like:
- No one deserves to be treated this way. Let’s go, Boss.
- Don’t listen to them. They don’t know what they’re saying.
- We’ve got better things to do. Let’s get out of here.
If the situation you are observing is happening online, most social networking sites also allow you to report abusive or offensive behavior.
In other cases, you can diffuse a risky situation by:
- Walking up and siting down next to the victim. Sometimes bullies will stop when they know their target isn’t alone.
- Changing the subject.
- Stepping in and getting involved. If, for example, you have a friend who has had too much to drink. Stay with them, and make sure they get home safely.
If the situation is unsafe, or you’re not comfortable confronting the bully, tell a teacher, parent, or other trusted adult.
Don’t give the bully an audience. Bullies bully when they have people to show their power to. If you walk away or unfollow or unfriend the bully online, the bully has no reason to show off anymore.
Check out Don’t Just Stand By: Intervene, and learn how to:
Stand Up. Stand Strong.
Don’t just Stand by.
