http://www.antibullyingweek.co.uk/

Next week has been designated as anti-bullying week.

Bullying at school has been brought back into my mind recently, with the death of two people this year, who were both bullies at Baltic Street Juniors over 40 years ago. Is it 'karma' or what?

One of them tried to choke the life out of me, while his mate held on to another lad, with a half housebrick in his hand, to stop him helping me. Luckily he managed to get away, and came back a couple of minutes later with some help.

The other one had his own 'gang', who would drag their 'victims' to the end of the schoolyard, to a covered area, and stand them up against the wall, throwing (if memory serves me right) a tennis ball at them. The ones who walked away crying, would be picked on again, so when it happened to me, I let them do it, and just walked away. It turned out to be the best thing to do, because they didn't bother me again.
When we came to find out which school we would be going to next, either Henry's Grammar or Galleys Field Secondary, we all received a letter in the post (remarkably on the same day, when the postal system was reliable), this second lad and his 'gang' were stood on the gate. 'Where are you going then?' was the question posed as you arrived at the entrance to the schoolyard. If you answered Henry's a good kicking ensued for most. But when I said I was going there, and the 'gang' prepared to give me a going over, their leader stopped them, and said leave him, he's alright. I can only assume it was because of my stoic reaction to his earlier punishment.

My point being, in a long winded way for me, is the only answer to a bully is to, whenever possible, stand up to them, and they will hopefully either back down, or respect you.

Bullies, we had one who was ever so popular with the teachers, they always prosper, he's a successful businessman now. Even now I like to stare at him if I see him, he still seems amazed that we all grew up to be bigger than him.
As for standing up to them, nah, that never worked, then you became someone to break down so they don't lose face ...you have to wait till the new bully arrives to kick the shit out of the old bully and laugh as they're humiliated just like real life.

The world is full of them.

Give them some back and they either run away never to be seen again or try and become your best friend.

Best thing to do is nip it in the bud the first time they "try" to take advantage of your your kindness and decent personality. A flying headbutt normally does the trick

What I have never worked out is why so many people are complicit with them. Usually bullies do what they do because they know they can get away with it, without any consequences from 'authorities'.

I know a few people whose kids have been bullied at school, and when they have gone to the school about it, feck all is done.

In one job I blew the whistle on a sad bastad who got his kicks from belittling and humiliating the female office juniors (bordering on sexual harrassment), and whilst enough evidence was there to give him the sack, they denied anything needed to be done other than threaten to send him on a behaviour management course.

He was an absolutely useless employee who probably cost the company a lot of money in making other staff unproductive, yet he managed to get away with it, and still does.

He is obviously a tortured soul who leads an empty existence, but cancerous individuals like him need to be prevented from causing misery to others. There should be more checks and balances in place to identify bullies in schools and workplaces, and give them treatment or whatever to prevent them spreading their shite in the path of others. Unfortunately a good hiding doesn't always work.

There was a kid bullied at my daughters school & after several trips to the schol it didnt stop so in the end the kids Mam went & nacked the bullies mam on her own doorstep & told her she would keep on doing it unless the bullying stopped.
The bullying stopped.

aye there's ways and means

I was bullied practically all the way through Comprehensive school off about 5 or 6 so called 'mates' all to impress other lads and later on the girls. A couple of times I tried reporting it but nothing was done apparently they were just 'messing' about.

I missed close to a full year due to faking illness because I didnt want to face them.

When I sat my final exam I was over the moon I didnt have to see any of them again.

That was 10 years ago but a few weeks since, was walking from the pub on Sunday with the lads after football, saw two of these bullies and confronted them about what happened all those years ago. I thoroughly enjoyed watching two grown men cry in the middle of the street, scared incase my mates set about them.

Since then they have tried contacting me but I have no interest at all. Just wish I realised years ago how pathetic they really are.

Was Jockthemonkey a victim.

Bullies need acolytes, they never work alone. I always found it good to pick off the acolytes one by one, they're usually spineless bounders when they're not in a gang. Shoe them relentlessly and tell them to tell the rest that they're having the same. Suddenly you've got a gang of one.

My daughter was bullied at school about being handicapped, they held a hot tab lighter to her face. I went to school and reported it, and they got them all in the office and told them to 'get along nicely.' My daughter and the five bullies. The harassment went up the scale until.........my lady of the time collared the leader and told her she was going to 'make her several new c***s with a Stanley knife.'

Next day my daughter was queen of the school.

Moral of the story: Either divide and rule or crush by force, negotiation doesn't work.

never had any of that like

probably because im not small and go to a pretty stuck up school

where've you been hiding Tom?

In first year I was being bullied by a few third year kids and my bus fare home being taken off me daily. One day my older sister seen this kid putting me against the wall and demanding his usual dosh. She came up behind him and twatted him with a rock on the back of his head.

Result was something like 30 stitches and a near coma.