My name is Ryan and I 13 years old, and I am a victim of bullying. I have been bullied ever since Grade 1, back then it wasn't that bad but as the years went on it got worse. Like in the grades 3,4 I was bullied by people who I thought were my "best friends" I would always go back to them even though they would tell me how dumb and ugly i looked in stuff. I don't know why I did... Then in Grade 5 someone threatened to kill me, he said "I'm gonna push you out into the road and hope that you get hit by a car and die" That really hurt me and I was scared because yes I am small and i wouldn't be able to stop this person, when he said that to me no one said anything no one tried to see if I was okay...That was the first time I ever... self harmed... I didnt tell anyone about it though, not my family and not my "friends." My "friends" would also turn other people against me and tell rumors and lies about me, and yes that still does happen now as well but anyway I was left alone with no one to talk to about what I was going through... Then is grade 6 I started getting called more names like: Bitch,slut,whore,ho,worthless, etc... and also words that wern't as bad but stil hurt me cause they came at me all the time like: short fry, bite size etc.... and people laughed and no one really stood up for me so ya. Now on 7th grade I was strangled by a boy to a point where I coudn't breathe and yes this year I had friends now so anyway the boy turned around at lunch and just started to strangle me so my friends were trying to pry him off of me, finally they got him off and I started to like scream and I broke down crying... Then a boy in the classroom said "choke her again" and another guy said "wow shes such a retard for crying" and then someone else said "it was just a joke" well obviusly not because that hurt me phisically! So I had a yogurt tube and i turned around to the boy who strangled me and squeezed it all into his hair! I was still crying and my friends took me down to the office and the biy did try to deny it but there was evidence cause my neck was beat red and I was balling my eyes out... His only punishment was him getting suspended for 1 day and only 3 or 4 detentions, but in my book i think he needs more of a punishment for hurting a girl (me) And again I hurt myself again.... worse then before... Still I get bullied but I try to stand up so here is some advice now...... If your short like me then if someone is calling you names about it try to give a "smart/ funny remark like: "Captian obvious strikes again!" Or "wow your smart" or "you actually figured it out?" and just try to ignore them or stand up I know standing up can be relly hard but I bet if you atleast try it once and see how it goes you can become stronger then them. I also want to say to any of the people like me who are sad/depressed or who cut just try to stop yourself when your about to harm yourself try to think about the person who loves you most and how they wouldn't want you to do it. I would NEVER recommend to anyone that selfharm is the answer.      I don't think that anyone deserves to be bullied I wish that there was no such thing as popularity so that everyone could be treated equally, i wish that everyone was loving but sadly not everyone is.... i wish that i could find every person in the worl was has been bullied or harmed in any way and hug then tell them that i care and everything is gonna be okay <3  And to all the the people that took there lives I am truly sorry that you had to do that and I really wish you hadn't because even though I didnt know you personally I still care for guys and if I knew you strong loving people I would love you and be your friend. <3 Also to all those people out there still fighting well even though I don't know you I love you guys for staying strong through everything and things will get better because I believe in you guys!!!! Stay Strong!! <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3