Why, where, when, who?

Why does it happen?

Bullying can happen for many reasons. Some people bully others because they are jealous or because someone else has bullied them in the past. It is very unlikely that someone who bullies other people is happy in their own life. A lot of bullying happens because people are different, and some people are scared of what is different.

One primary school pupil in Torfaen said "a lot of people bully others to look cool and join in because their friends tell them to". It is important to remember that bullying is not cool and it does not make you popular.

Where and when does it happen?

Bullying should not happen anywhere, but young people say that it can happen at school, in a youth club, at the park, at the leisure centre or even at home. If you see bullying happen, make sure you tell an adult in charge.

Who can be affected?

Believe it or not, there are lots of really famous celebrities who were bullied when they were younger. Film stars such as Jennifer Lawrence, music artists such as Rhianna and Justin Timberlake and sports stars such as swimmer Michael Phelps have all said they were bullied when they were younger. Look how well they’re doing now though!

How does it make people feel?

Bullying hurts. Most people who bully someone will also feel bad deep down, so everyone needs to help make it stop. If you are bullying someone else, stop and think about how bad you are making them feel.

If it’s happening to you, it’s probably not your fault. It’s usually the others that have the problem. Everyone can overcome bullying and have a fantastic life ahead.