There are always two sides to bullying

There are always two sides to a story, just like there are always two sides to bullying. The victim being bullied and the bully. No matter who is involved, there are deeper reasons why the bully has decided to be a bully, this then effects the victim and results in them feeling physically and emotionally hurt.

This is a serious issue these days, especially in schools. Bullying can lead to violence and crime in later years.

The Bully

Bullies aren't always in the same situation, an unpleasant and poor home environment can't always be to blame. There are other things that can make someone turn into a bully, some of the time these are never recognized.

When parents find out their child is a bully, some of them will try to take control of the situation. If the problem is that the child cannot control their anger, then the parent can take action and help.

On the other hand, some bullies are the way they are because they do in fact have an unpleasant home environment and telling the parent will do nothing to improve the situation. When this happens, the school must take charge and arrange a way to consult and help the child.

The Bullied

When a child is bullied they feel hurt and alone, being bullied can also lead to some other problems down the line (depression, anxiety, stress). This may come as a shock, but it is the students who are bullied and pushed to a breaking point that use violence in order to make the bullying stop.

It would be beneficial for the child if their parents showed them how to stand up to the bully in a calm and aggressive way. No, this does not mean encouraging your child to be violent with the bully, but to simply let them know that the way they are acting is not right. If it does continue then it is time to ask for help.

Teachers should observe each student’s behaviour. Teachers are usually receptive to a student undergoing issues, so it is ideal to check with the student regarding anything that may be going on if it is noticed that he or she is depressed or there are changes in their grades.

In the end, the best thing to do is contact a non-profit organization like NICRO, who can help to ensure that bullying is curbed before it leads to violence in schools.

Racism 101

Racism is when you treat someone differently of unfairly because of the colour of their skin or their culture. If you are the victim of racism, know that what they are doing is illegal and just because you are different doesn't give them the right to treat you differently or abuse you.

What exactly is racism?

Racism can mean a variety of things. It is when someone is treated in an unfair manner because of their race or culture, it is also when someone is prejudiced against because of their religion or nationality.

One example is seeing a Muslim person and immediately assuming they are a terrorist. This is wrong and not true at all!

It is illegal to treat people differently or unfairly because of their race and nobody has the right to make you feel bad or abuse you.

Racism can include:

-- written or verbal threats or insults
-- damage to property, including graffiti
-- personal attacks, including violence

Why are some people racist?

Someone who's a racist can feel threatened by anyone who's from a different race or culture.

Our views and beliefs develop as we grow up. If you grow up within a racist family, or have friends who are racist, you may believe that racism is normal and acceptable.

Prejudice of any kind is often based on ignorance and fear of things that are different. Don't dislike what you don't know. Find out more by reading, learning about things online, talking to people who might have a different perspective to you and getting lots of different views before you make up your mind.

Imagine being someone else and what this would be like. Think about how you'd like to be treated.
Being bullied or treated differently can be hard. It might seem easier to avoid situations where the racist abuse might happen, like not going to school. This usually won't help it go away. And it can make you feel worse.

Things you can try to help stop the bullying:

-- Accept that it's not your fault - It can be tough if you're having a hard time, but remember you're not the one to have caused the problem.

-- Tell someone what's happening to you - This could be a close friend or an adult you trust.

-- Keep some evidence - This could be a diary of events, saved messages and a record of when things happen. This can be useful to show others that you need help.

-- Keep yourself safe - You could walk home with someone you trust, change privacy settings online and block users who bully you.

Young people have told us:

"People laugh at me and call me names because I have red hair and freckles."

''I get told to be avoided because I'm from Pakistan and people say I am a bad person''

''Boys at school call me horrible names because my family and I are Jehovah's Witnesses.''

Whatever you're going through, you can talk to someone. Don't hesitate to contact NICRO whenever you or a loved one needs help.