Take your power back!

Hey guys, Xavier here again…

Verbal abuse, as we learned in the last issue, is one of the most subtle yet destructive forms of bullying (predominately used by girls) because it leaves emotional wounds and scars for many years. However, if you are a victim of verbal bullying there are things you can do to overcome this. First and foremost please remember that the person who is bullying you is probably doing it because they are hurting (Hurting People Hurt People).

Our society is so addicted to physical beauty that young girls are constantly comparing themselves to unrealistic, unattainable images which often lead to low self-esteem (low self-worth is one of several different pathways that contribute to bullying). So when you understand where the bully is coming from you will be in a better position to take your power back.

According to the article How to deal with bullying, there are ten different ways you can do this:

·         Avoid the bully at all costs

·         Ignore the bully

·         Know that verbal bullies often have their friends join in the "fun"

·         Tell a teacher, trusted adult, or parent if the bullying is consistent

·         Remain civil, no matter what

·         Don't Listen to the rumors the bully says about you

·         Walk away if the bully is actually insulting you to your face, as this makes them look weak

·         Tell someone how you feel; if you don't have a close friend, talk to your school's guidance counselor

·         If the bullying continues, tell your principal to have a talk with him/her

·         After that and when you see him or her come, why not act nice as a start to them?

Remember, you don’t have to take all ten suggestions, just choose the ones that work for you and remember that the worst thing you can do is to keep everything bottled up inside!

For more information on Acception’s solution-based approach to bullying prevention in the classroom, visit www.Acception.info