If you are a witness to bullying, you have a huge responsibility because your reaction can encourage or discourage the bully. If you just stay on the sidelines and watch, you are part of the problem.

Bullies need attention

If you don’t do anything when someone is being bullied, you are encouraging the bully – he or she will want to carry on. Instead of standing on the sidelines, do something. Go get help or speak to the bully if you feel safe. YOU ARE PART OF THE SOLUTION.

You have an important role to play. You can’t stay silent or encourage the bully – it will only make the problem worse.

A snitch is someone who denounces someone to do that person harm. When you tell an adult that a friend or someone you know is being bullied, YOU ARE HELPING THEM.

If you feel safe, SPEAK UP

• If you feel safe, speak to the bully and defend the victim.
• Don’t encourage a bully.
• Comfort the victim, show him or her that you care, that you’re supportive, that you don’t agree with what’s happening.

If you are afraid to get involved, you can still DO SOMETHING

• Notify an adult you can trust (e.g. a parent, teacher, counsellor, coach, janitor, monitor).
• DO NOT KEEP IT TO YOURSELF.
• Try to help the victim, show him or her that you care, suggest that you do things together, inside or outside of school.
• You can always talk to someone in charge at school to report bullying.

• REACT when you see friends bullying people.
• PROTEST each time you see it. By protesting, you can make it stop.
• REFUSE to forward or share a picture, video or message that could insult someone.
• SAVE bullying messages that you’ve seen to keep them as proof.
• TELL a trusted adult about bullying when you see it.
• REPORT bullying to the police if it involves threats or if you think it’s dangerous and serious.

Have you seen someone being bullied on Facebook?