Dear relative,
I am so sorry to hear that you are having problems with boys on your street. Bullying and street harassment can be really hard to deal with, and I am sorry you are experiencing this from people in your community.
Bullying and harassment is painful and can make you feel down and alone. It’s important when you are being bullied or harassed that you reach out for help and support. Reaching out to me is a big step and takes a lot of courage.
Bullying is a learned behavior, meaning people aren’t born bullies, they learn through their experiences how to become one. People learn to be a bully for many reasons; from stressful situations, from being abused mentally or physically at home. Often people who bully are currently or have been bullied themselves. That is not to say that bulling should ever be excused, nor is your fault.
Here’s some things that might help:
- If you feel safe enough, speak to the person who is bullying you. You can find some good advice on how to do that at Ditch the Label.
- If you do not feel safe, speak to a trusted adult. This is incredibly important! That person can be a teacher/parent/guardian/auntie/uncle/coach/elder or another responsible adult. If you need to, reach out to more than one person. Just because a person is an adult, doesn’t mean they know what to do. Find someone who can help.
- You are not the problem.
- Find healthy ways to deal with stress like hanging with positive friends, eating well, exercising, getting enough sleep, and drinking lots of water.
- Find someone you look up to. You are not alone in this. There are plenty of people who have been where you are right now and have managed to overcome it. By talking to others about what you’re going through, you may find ways others have dealt with their bullies.
If you need outside support you can contact the following hotlines:
- 121help.me for 24/7 bullying and crisis hotline for youth up to age 18 at 855-201-2121
- National Suicide Prevention Hotline 24/7 crisis hotline 1-800-273-8255
- Trevor Project Lifeline 24/7 crisis hotline for LGBTQ youth 1-866-488-7386
Thank you for reaching out and taking care of yourself.
Aunty Manda
