When i was born i had a crossed eye. People would always call me compus or monster. I never really had true friends because most of them jusy felt sorry for me. Over the summer i fell into depression and i lost all my friends. Now im a 10th grader and my life is just gettin worst. People still laugh at me and pick on me for no reason. I am a very sweet loving kind and sometimes loud person and the BULLIES never have a chance to get to know ME! But thats bc im different!! -Deanna Hayes

Hii guys! My name is Audrey :). I am thirteen years old. I may be young but I've been through a lot trust me. My oldest sister just sent me a link to this website because she knows I feel very strongly about these Types of things. Being bullied has made me grow up faster than I wanted to. I am very mature for my age. Now to my story, I am in seventh grade right now. I started getting bullied in firs grade but it was minor teasing. It started getting worse when I had a big move to a different state in fourth grade. So starting fourth grade as the new kid and I was a little different looking. So the kids would make fun of how I dressed or how I looked. It hurt so it caused me to feel very down about myself but it was heavy bullying. So when I get to fifth grade I had to move schools AGAIN. It was horrible. This is when it got heavy. It started on the first day of School. There was the one kid that really really didn't like me. Call me ugly, fat, slut, whore, how, go kill myself, cussing at me. I cried every night because. It lead to depression. Severe depression for me. It killed me inside. I had thoughts about cutting and suicide but I never got to it because of my religion. But I was almost there. I was also sexually touched in fifth grade. That left a mark on me and I still think about it every day. Sixth grade was more of gossip about me. The girls didn't like me. So they would talk bad about me behind my back. Even my closest friends. It really just caused trust issues. Now I am here now. I still have my depression. I still have 0 self esteem. Because I let those people get to me so easily. My advice is to not let people get to you so easily. Show them that your worth sooo much more because YOU ARE❤️. Your all amazing in your own way and let me help you if you need help because I may be young but I know way too much. Just talk to me if you are going through anything!! I promise I'll always be here :)

I was raised in a good morale home and taught to tell the truth and I still stick to that principle!

I am currently 53 years old and spent most of my working life working in the banking industry, but because I stuck up for myself and an abusive boss at U** Federal Credit Union in Tampa, FL, I have become unemployable due to her own paranoia, lack of self confidence and she has/had a “God complex”.  To make a long story short, I asked her a question about a procedural change that she agreed to, but when she prepared the documents, she didn’t follow the new procedure and she didn’t inform anyone in the department that she had changed her mind and decided to continue the procedure the old way.  I proceeded to ask her in a professional, non-confrontational voice why the new procedure wasn’t followed, but she didn’t like my question so she proceeded to rip me a new one and yelled at me at the top of her voice in front of the whole dept. “THAT WAS A DECISION I MADE…OK!!”  I was well within my rights to yell back, but I acted like an adult, just looked at her and said OK.  I wasn’t about to let this behavior stand so I went to the HR Dept. during my lunch and the HR Manager told me to talk to my supervisor and tell her that her behavior was inappropriate.

(I think the HR Manager should have handled the problem).  I met with my supervisor the next day and told her I wasn’t going to tolerate being treated like that and I told her that I went to HR about it.  When I told my supervisor I went to HR, she told me that I wasn’t allowed to go to anyone about a problem except her!!  I just looked at her and said, “I don’t think so”.  She was so mad that I went over her head she turned 20 shades of red.  The HR Manager told me that my supervisor felt like I was trying to take her job (which I wasn’t).  When I had a couple of more incidents, I decided it was time to quit so I turned in my 2-week notice.  When I went to HR for my exit interview, I gave the HR Manager a 7-page memo about why I was quitting, dates, etc.  After I left the credit union, I got another job via a relative, but the company tried to cheat me on my annual performance raise, so that job didn’t last long.  I’m sure I got the job because they took the word of my relative that I was good and they didn’t check my past employment history (explained further below).  So from 2007 through today, I have yet to be able to find employment and probably a good percentage is due to my supervisor at the credit union.  I found out through investigation that my supervisor decided to be vindictive because I wouldn’t go along with her narcissistic behavior and spilled the beans on her unprofessional behavior towards me.  I discovered that when I completed an application to work at another company, the prospective employer followed protocol and called my past employers to check on me.  My ex-supervisor was giving me bad references, lying about me and therefore I’m unable to find a job (and I have written proof of this).  I’ve applied to so many companies that even when I apply to one of them now, they already have a file on me, so they look me up, see the bad reference and send me a “thanks, but no thanks e-mail”.  I still fill out applications, sometimes get an interview, but they all turn out the same way.  When I’m being interviewed for a possible job, the interviewer always digs into your past jobs and wants to know why I left a company, so I tell them.  I don’t sugar coat it or try to downplay it, because the interviewer always wants to know more and keeps asking you to elaborate on this or that.  I’m not one that will say that I left the company “to spend more time with my family”, “I’m leaving for a promotion”, etc (As you can probably tell, I’m not good at playing politics)  I just tell them why I left because I’m not going to get tangled up in a web of lies and tell different people different stories because that will just cause trouble---just tell it like it is, professionally, and if the interviewer doesn’t like my answer then that’s not my problem.  I always hear from people that you should never say anything negative about your previous employers, but if I left for a negative reason, then I’m going to give them that reason.  I also hear from people that just say to forget about what happened and move on with your life, but I can't because when you complete an employment application they ask about the last 10 year of employment--and it's been less than 10 years since this has happened--so I can't just "move on".  I’ve sought legal assistance against the credit union, but I found out too late that my ex-supervisor was giving me a bad reference illegally and the statute of limitations has run out.  If I lie to a company about my past and they find out, they can fire me for lying, so no matter how I handle it, I’m screwed.  Too many companies these days will treat someone who tells the truth as a criminal and unless you answer their question exactly the way they want, they won’t hire you.  I especially have to be careful about telling the truth, because if I work with money, confidential information, etc and my new employer finds out I lied on my application or during the interview, then I could really be in trouble and be accused of embezzlement, giving out confidential information, etc.  I REFUSE to be deceptive and lower my standards.  MY ADVICE TO ANYONE IS “STICK TO YOUR BELIEFS” even though the “world” tells you to do it a different way, because “YOU ARE ACCOUNTABLE”!!

So in a nutshell, that’s my story and I don’t think I’ll ever have a job!!

i have been getting bullied every since i was in the 4th grade. First it was a small joke... Then it grew into something more. First it was pushing in the hall and knocking books out of the hand. and then it was the name calling both at home and at school. most of the time i could ignore it but last year it got really bad and since i haven't been that bad.

Shitty Engineer! Engineer! Looser! Shitty Winner! These are spoken adjectives to address academically oriented, water polo players at a public high school, by an ex-Olympian whose job is to coach these players water polo skills. This olympian went on to use curse words, pointedly at all players, but one, in the team. He did not even spare the bench most of whom never played in a losing game. Other words used to address the players were crazy horse, uncoachable, unmanageable, incapable, bunch of cowards. Majority of these players were otherwise ‘A” students at their school.

 

A year back, when a newly-rich dad morally and monetarily sponsored and supported the hiring of this Olympian for the coach’s job, he was sold as an Olympic winner! who would turn the water polo players of this public school as winners in life. The Olympian introduced himself so and said, “Give your boys to me and I will make them look good! I will bring a culture of winning in this team.”

 

Now most of these players in their past year, had a coach that they all liked. This earlier coach was very open to talk to and made it clear every time that the game is for the players to play and not for the coach to own! A firefighter by profession and a care-taker of homeless children at night, this earlier coach, instilled into his players that playing itself is a privilege in life. He stressed on humbleness, honesty, dedication and having fun when playing. This earlier coach regularly spoke of friendships and team-spirit that is created when playing high-school sports.

 

And then the Olympian took over. Naive as the students were, they were hoping to continue what they had learned. The were now looking forward to learn from a skilled master! The brought all their energy and fun into the practices. But not for long.

 

A few weeks into their first season, it was apparent to them that the Olympian was a hard task-master who had one and only one goal - to create water polo winners and nothing else. There was going to be no other talk. No smiling or fun during practices. The starters were picked and all the drills were meant for them. There was rarely if any talk or drill oriented towards the non-starters or any mixing in of the players. Haves and HaveNots were clearly marked by the colors of their cap - white and black!

 

During what the Olympian termed, an open discussion, a “white-capped” student who had learnt the lessons of friendliness and humbleness previously, spoke up of the contradictions and how this Olympian approach created division in the team and demoralized the students in general. From that time onwards, this player never wore the ‘white’ cap. And all other players cowed down.

 

Olympian repeatedly implied talking back will be punished. He shouted and yelled at practice and during games. Criticism of individual players were loud and heard far back in the stands - both during practices and games. There was ‘never’ any word of advice or adulation of effort. Rare was instruction to improve individual skills - in fact opposite, players were told if they need to learn skills, they have to join “club water polo”.

 

Rare talks by the Olympian included swear words at players, games and referees. Put downs were common. Players and parents reached out to the athletic administration and were advised that time will solve their problem. A year later, negativity continued. Practices continued to be white-capped separate from black-capped. Games were reserved for the white-capped.

 

Regularly bullied and shunned, players do not know where to go but stay quiet, suffer the humiliation in silence and continue to be physically present at practice and games. Parents do not complain as they have been counseled that their current and future players will be punished directly or indirectly. School Administration leaves all athletic decision to the Athletic Administration, who in turn imply - time will solve the problem!

 

And in time, the Olympian said, “I cut so and so because he wanted to have fun. Water polo is not fun. Water polo is for marines”. (Don’t marines have fun?) Then the games began. One loss and then another. Olympian erupted. In a follow up team meeting, players were verbally abused with swear words or put downs. One by one, by name! Even the bench who never touched water was not spared. Olympian blurted out, “For me it is not fun to lose. I cannot sleep. I cannot eat. It’s painful”.

 

The player who was earlier black-capped and once again, unwilling to suffer the bullying, attempted to seek clarification. Olympian forcefully shut him down. “Leave your comments to yourself. I do not want to even hear it” and Olympian walked away.

 

And the student athletes were left with “In future life you will be like a Shitty winner, like shitty! engineer , you gonna be a shitty engineer. Because you are gonna be a loser, Engineer!, Loser!”.

I didn't begin to experience bullying until my family moved from NJ to NC when I was nine. Everything was bully fodder--my red hair, pale skin, name, accent, religion, amount of siblings, freckles. I have only been punched twice in my entire life, both times by my neighborhood bullies. I was lucky in one respect--I was homeschooled. I could avoid my bullies as long as I didn't go outside.

For some reason I still wanted to be friends with them though. I was lonely. And sometimes they were nice, although I came to learn that this was often a way to catch me off my guard. My bullies' favorite tactic was what I now call the "Leave Behind". They would invite me places, perhaps a park or on a bike ride. As I got older it was the mall or a coffee shop. We would meet up, hang out for a bit, and then suddenly they would be gone. I would turn around and see them pedaling away or running through the mall in the opposite direction of me. By my late teens, they just quit showing up. I would be invited to someone's house and they wouldn't be home. I would lie to my parents and say that we had a great time when they eventually came back to pick me up. One girl had been on vacation and called me from Florida to "invite me over" and then had her friend take a picture of me arriving. I am 34-years-old now and I still get anxiety when I am meeting people and they are late. I know they aren't doing it to be mean and they have no idea, but every second that ticks by, I wonder if they just aren't going to show up.

One thing I did learn from my experience, is to choose my friends very selectively. I do not remain friends with anyone who yells at me, creates unnecessary drama, says hurtful things, or make fun of me in any way. I have ended a number of friendships with people who thought that these things were okay. I found that as I surrounded myself with awesome people, the more I didn't care about all the jerks out there. They don't matter. My true friends didn't begin to show up until after high school, but they are amazing.

We...you and I...deserve better than people who treat us badly. We deserve kindness and love and people who care. It might take a while to find those people, especially when you have been hurt, but they are out there and they are amazing.

Stay true to yourself. Never change who you are because someone else wants you to. You are you, they are them. They can't do anything to you, you are unique and powerful. You are beautiful. Don't let the darkness of bullies burn out your light <3 Be you, because if you're not you, who are you?

What do you do when you are being bullied, harassed and threatened simply because you have an unusual authentic name!

This is happening to me. It has happened to may of my friends and they all feel permanently damaged as a result. In some cases they have been left with their identities altered. Please Help!

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My sister and I Were hanging out with a few others at a "friends" house on a free day from school. The "friend" who's house we were at talked the others into picking on my sister, I did try to persuade her not to but I certainly could have SHOULD HAVE done more I could have just went to Brenda and simply said lets go she would of ... But I didn't and that was certainly one of the worse decisions I've EVER made... What they did to her was horrible slapping, spitting, pushing etc it was simply awful!!! I have since apologized and she has forgiven me , although I'm not sure how she found that forgiveness. I should have done more I know that now and knew that then but what i didn't know was WHAT TO DO... If I knew then the information I know now I could and would have changed that outcome.... My soul is encouraged each time I see an anti bullying campaign!!! I have sense become an educator and speak out against bullying at every opportunity... I however have NOT been able to completely forgive myself for that day that changed my life, I have few regrets this is one of my greatest...

My sister and I Were hanging out with a few others at a "friends" house on a free day from school. The "friend" who's house we were at talked the others into picking on my sister, I did try to persuade her not to but I certainly could have SHOULD HAVE done more I could have just went to Brenda and simply said lets go she would of ... But I didn't and that was certainly one of the worse decisions I've EVER made... What they did to her was horrible slapping, spitting, pushing etc it was simply awful!!! I have since apologized and she has forgiven me , although I'm not sure how she found that forgiveness. I should have done more I know that now and knew that then but what i didn't know was WHAT TO DO... If I knew then the information I know now I could and would have changed that outcome.... My soul is encouraged each time I see an anti bullying campaign!!! I have sense become an educator and speak out against bullying at every opportunity... I however have NOT been able to completely forgive myself for that day that changed my life, I have few regrets this is one of my greatest...