I am very scared on going to school because people made up a romour that i went out with this girl they dont like, they called her ugly and make fun of me every day since... they shout her name at me when i walk about, i feel horrible infact i dont want to really go to school much (But i wont ditch it!) I havent met the girl yet people are saying we ' snogged ' behind tesco. Help Me Please!
Sam
Hi
Thank you for your letter. It sounds like you are going through a really tough time at the moment. You did the right thing to ask for some advice.
Its not fair for anyone to make fun of you or deliberately say things to make you feel uncomfortable. It sounds like you and the girl you mentioned are both being bullied by these people. Im glad to hear that you have found the strength to keep going to school despite all of this. Your education is important, however, its also important that you feel safe in school.
Have you thought about talking to anyone else about this? Your school should have an anti-bullying policy. This should mean that there is a person in your school, usually a teacher or Head of Year who is responsible for dealing with bullying if it does happen. To find out who this could be, you could ask one of your teachers. Maybe there is one you feel particularly comfortable talking to? It can be a real help just being able to talk to someone about this sometimes and knowing that you have someone around who you can go to if you need some help, support and advice.
Im wondering if you have told anyone at home whats been happening in school? You havent told me who you live with, or what your relationship with them is like. If they are generally supportive, they might be able to help and support you with this too. Maybe your parents/carers could talk to the school with you about how you might like to deal with this situation.
I realise it can be hard to talk about being bullied. People sometimes worry that things might get worse if they speak out. Its important to remember that you havent done anything wrong. You have every right to be treated with respect at school just like everyone else. Bullies can change their behaviour, but for that to happen, you need to talk to a trusted adult about what is happening. You dont have to go through this all on your own and it can stop.
Maybe you can check out the Bullying pages in Explore for more information. You could also see how other people have coped with similar situations on the message boards. You can also visit www.bullying.co.uk for more information and advice about how you might get help and what your school should be doing to help you. You can also call 0800 1111 to speak to a counsellor, or you can log on for a1-2-1 chat online
Take care,
Sam
Need help straight away?
You can talk privately to a counsellor online or call 0800 1111 for free.
Ask me a question
You can ask me about anything you want, there's nothing too big or small. I read every single letter but I can only answer a few each week. My replies are published here on my page.
