My name is Rita, I'm from Portugal and I have now 15 years. From the very first moment I startes first grade, I knew I wasn't quite like the other girls. I remember crying on the first day because they were making fun of my hair for being curled instead of straight like the other girls had. I remember sitting with the boys playing with pokemon cards while the other girls changed their Winx cards woth each others. But, it all got worse. I was on seven grade, when I made a big mistake. In my head, I was trying to help but everyone saw me as a rat. They called me fake, ugly and a slut. They waited for me to leave the class, surrounded me and called me everything you could imagine. Some said that they would beat me to death, even older kids. I was the joke. I had no friends. Then, it went to the internet. 4 of them made a chat on facebook called "The Court" and added me. They said the court was crated to judge me for being a freak and a bitch. At first, I left the group. But then they came to me at school and called me a coward and they threw me onto the floor. That day, they added me to the group again and I didn't leave. They found out that my parents were divorced, so they made sure all school knew. It followed me to home, I started having a serious proble of anxiety, I didn't eat and started cutting. I had one friend that knew that. He said once that he liked me and asked me to date him, but I only saw him as a friend. So, they tolled the girls that were making fun of me in the internet that I cut myself. Once again, the whole school knew. When my parents finally found out, they grounded me for cutting myself. They took away my facebook, so the girls started making fun of me on twitter and on Ask.fm. I stopped cutting myself, but the bullying continued. I was so afraid of they starting beating me, so I begged my parents to take me off that school. It only stopped when I left that school. It was the worst year of my life. The year after that, I finally could be myself in the school I was. I could say to everyone that hey! I'm a girl, I love star trek, I'm a gamer, I read comic books and I have a collection of various action figures! And it was ok. But, my parents didn't like the school. So I moved again. Now, I'm finishing ninth grade, and I relapsed and cutted myself for 2 months because of thinking that I could tell those people who I really was. But I couldn't. Now I am ok, my scars faded away and I have a few friends. I'm going to change to my sixth school and I'm praying for that it'll be ok. I'm on medication for anxiety now. I am only 15 and I suffered so much. For everyone who's out there that had similar problems, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry.

This isn't a story.. This is more of a speech I want to present but I need the help to get it around. I'm 16 from Australia. There aren't a lot of kids that step up like this I'm told. So if I could present this somewhere to an audience of my own age or older or younger. Maybe they will listen more cause it's unexpected coming from a grade 11 student. Bullying needs to stop. Please read the following and give some feedback on changes or what I could include. Would be much appreciated. Also if you could share this story around, I would be most grateful. Thank you. Please enjoy. To all the bullies out there; why do you do it? Every person who harasses or bullies other kids that sit with us right now. Ask yourself these: does it make you happy that you abuse that kid who has already a lot on his mind? You never once asked him why he doesn't talk to people, did you? Did you ever consider that it was a little more serious than a school issue, rather it being at home? -what if he goes home to an abusive father and no mother? -what if he goes home to his parents fighting constantly? -what if he has to walk several kilometres to and from school every day whether is raining or not because mum and dad are always working to pay those bills that just keep stacking up? -what if his mother or father have a cancer that can't be treated? -what if his father left and his mum has to sell herself to strange different men every day just to keep them alive? -what if he can't concentrate on his school work because he thinks about all of them other possibilities so he starts to fall behind and gets frustrated and confused and just gives up? Or maybe what if it was you that was making him upset with himself because you abuse/bully/pick on him? You wouldn't know.. Would you? You wouldn't know any of that. Why? Because you never asked him why he's so quiet, why he looks so sad, why he can't look anyone in the eye. You never got to know him. You never even asked him if he was okay! You just went straight for the name-calling and picking on - that judgemental mode in your head that picks up on every little detail that isn't up to your own standards. For what? Why did you harass him every day or second or third day? You ask and answer that yourself. It's not nice being the victim. If you were them think how they would be feeling! I bet you have been laughed at for saying a completely wrong answer in maths one day he would be feeling that exact feeling but worse. A whole lot worse. You're also making him look like that in front of everyone else. He's defenceless. Bullying doesn't make you cool, or even just picking up on something wrong with them and getting everyone to laugh. It doesn't make you cool. So just stop. Please, for the life of the good kids that are being picked on. Stop. You can go a little further than just stopping and starting to care. I guarantee it's a lot more cool. Ask that lonely person if they're okay. You could be saving a life just by caring about that person and that feeling is so much better than being the one doing the harm. Give it a go! thank you, I hope you enjoyed. Dylan O'Connell

This isn't a story.. This is more of a speech I want to present but I need the help to get it around. I'm 16 from Australia. There aren't a lot of kids that step up like this I'm told. So if I could present this somewhere to an audience of my own age or older or younger. Maybe they will listen more cause it's unexpected coming from a grade 11 student. Bullying needs to stop. Please read the following and give some feedback on changes or what I could include. Would be much appreciated. Also if you could share this story around, I would be most grateful. Thank you. Please enjoy. To all the bullies out there; why do you do it? Every person who harasses or bullies other kids that sit with us right now. Ask yourself these: does it make you happy that you abuse that kid who has already a lot on his mind? You never once asked him why he doesn't talk to people, did you? Did you ever consider that it was a little more serious than a school issue, rather it being at home? -what if he goes home to an abusive father and no mother? -what if he goes home to his parents fighting constantly? -what if he has to walk several kilometres to and from school every day whether is raining or not because mum and dad are always working to pay those bills that just keep stacking up? -what if his mother or father have a cancer that can't be treated? -what if his father left and his mum has to sell herself to strange different men every day just to keep them alive? -what if he can't concentrate on his school work because he thinks about all of them other possibilities so he starts to fall behind and gets frustrated and confused and just gives up? Or maybe what if it was you that was making him upset with himself because you abuse/bully/pick on him? You wouldn't know.. Would you? You wouldn't know any of that. Why? Because you never asked him why he's so quiet, why he looks so sad, why he can't look anyone in the eye. You never got to know him. You never even asked him if he was okay! You just went straight for the name-calling and picking on - that judgemental mode in your head that picks up on every little detail that isn't up to your own standards. For what? Why did you harass him every day or second or third day? You ask and answer that yourself. It's not nice being the victim. If you were them think how they would be feeling! I bet you have been laughed at for saying a completely wrong answer in maths one day he would be feeling that exact feeling but worse. A whole lot worse. You're also making him look like that in front of everyone else. He's defenceless. Bullying doesn't make you cool, or even just picking up on something wrong with them and getting everyone to laugh. It doesn't make you cool. So just stop. Please, for the life of the good kids that are being picked on. Stop. You can go a little further than just stopping and starting to care. I guarantee it's a lot more cool. Ask that lonely person if they're okay. You could be saving a life just by caring about that person and that feeling is so much better than being the one doing the harm. Give it a go! Thank you. I hope you enjoyed!

My name is H. In third grade I was bullied by a little prick named Josh. Josh was a grade A prick and bully. I was at an all time low then. I was extremely unpopular and had little to no friends. Then, of course, life struck and I lost my father at age nine. I was broken. I was done with all this shit. Next day rolled around and so did Josh. I was playing soccer out on the field when Josh came over and grabbing my hood, pulled me to the ground. Excuse my language, but I was NOT going to let this little fucker mess with me. I was done with this. I was over and head butted him squarely in the face. I heard bone crack, but did not let up. I threw him to the ground and started to beat his ugly little face into the wet mud. He started to cry and scream vigorously. I didn't let up. I held his face there until his body started to go slack, then I let up. He just wasn't worth it. I quickly got up and called for help. The teacher came over and started to yell at Josh, then took him to the principal. In the end, he got in trouble and I didnt. I felt victorious. Now though, I feel somewhat regretful. I probably traumatized him and caused him several injuries. I know that I broke his nose and scared the shit out of him. No that this is justifiable or good in any way however. All I'm saying is just stand up for yourself and others. Now, my life couldn't be better. I love my life now. Best regards, H.

Never give up buddy!
I felt like giving up at school and at my university, but I fought through... just ignore the haters and be who you are! don't worry about what others think of you.
You can try to hide from a bully but hiding won’t work for long. There’s really only one way to win. You have to fight back and if you’re lucky enough to get out alive, take just a moment to celebrate before you put your guard back up, ready to fight the next one. This encounter might leave you in shock but remember, when the shock where’s off, when the body can accept that a trouble had happened, when it can let down its defenses, it’s a scary moment. It’s vulnerable. The shock response had protected us and it just might have saved us.

 

Every year, I'm trying my best to calm my anger, but the people in high school won't leave me alone. I'm currently 18 and I already graduated since May 27th. I got my diploma and good grades from easy classes I don't like. Nobody listens to me in class or won't let do something in culinary arts. Culinary arts is totally annoying and I cause trouble in that class with that annoying and disgusting student. It feels like I wanna give up

I moved from the city at the age of eight to a more rural community.  I had never encountered racism or full assault of bullying before.  I couldn't understand what I had done to make all these kids not like me.  My clothes were too fashion forward (my Mom sewed them so they weren't designer and it was 1972!), I wore glasses, I had a lot of siblings (5) and I had moved from the city!  Those were all problems.  It started with name calling and then just ostracization.  No one stoke to me at lunch or recess.  No one would sit by me at lunch either.  I had "cooties" that spread if you touched me.  I was a white nigger.  I had to go home and ask about that one!  They even started a petition to have me removed from their class.

As one year passed into another things just got worse.  These kids had siblings, too -- in lower grades with my brothers.  When I tried to stand up for myself they had their siblings start harassing my brothers.  They attacked us before and after school.  They rode past my house and threatened my three year old little brother in the yard.  How do you fight against bullies who take it to that level?

My parents were at the school filing a complaint about this behavior but back in the 70's we didn't recognize bullying.  But even today, schools ask what did your child do to provoke the behavior?  When I fought back and encourage by brother to fight back the school system said I provoked the bullying.  In this case, my parents told the school if they couldn't stand up for me I had to stand up for myself.

When I refused to participate in the 8th grade graduation commencement preparations and ceremony the school was outraged and tried to force the issue.  My parents stood behind me and told the school it was my decision not to participate with people I didn't respect.

Unfortunately, these kids followed me into High School.  While the student body was bigger their harassment continued with locker break ins, the continuation of destruction of property, knocking you down in the hall, knocking your books out of your hands, holding you in the hall so you are late for class, knocking your lunch tray out of your hands, putting skunk oil in your locker, etc. etc.

I learned to hide and avoid.  Avoid and avoid.  I hid out in little known hallway at lunch and read.  I moved into a sibling's locker for part of a year.  I walked with teachers and hung out near them in study hall and became friends with them in class so that they noticed if something was going on.  I sat near the front.  I no longer tried to hang out in the crowd.

Some friends came and went.  It depended on the class or the need to make friends with a teacher I was friends with but I didn't go to my High School graduation either.  I went to college but stayed a loner as well.

I am a very outgoing person.  It is one of the best aspects of my personalities but I don't have a lot of friends and certainly no one from my school days or college.

What I have learned since I was 8, is that it was never about me.  I think I always knew that but accepting it is still hard.  Understanding what motivated and still motivates kids and adults who do this is even harder.  Peer pressure is too easy an answer.  Riding herd over kids who don't stand up for themselves is too easy an answer, too.  I stood up for myself but it just got worse and worse.

When I watched to Bully Project movie it was so easy to relate to why kids stop reporting bullying.  You just get used to it.  You stop feeling it -- physically and emotionally.  The sadness is there to read and deep inside but you just stop feeling it on a surface level.

Accepting that it wasn't about me is still a work in progress and I am now 50 years old!

i got bullied alot no one would know because never got the guts up to say it and then bullied for the rest of life never ends someone help with me because it sucks a lot when you get bullied and kids wont leave you alone so you go to the vice princicle about it and he makes it worse what do i do i would like to know because thats something i would love to know a lot someone who has advese just let me know oh some of the spelling might be wrong sorry about that help i want to know.

I am a pentecostal.It a religion that every girls need to put skirts and to don't cut there hair.Everyday was keep a smile and I only have 4 real friend that I could trust.I felt lonely in class.I didnt have real friend only friend that use me.I cried and I cried.I love someone but everybody said that I was to ugly for him.They say is your sister your real sister because your to ugly to be her sister.No one could understand me and my mom I could not trust her (I didn't trust anyone ) Now I am till fighting from people who bully me but I am stronger than before.I always say God created me like this I will stay like this:)