Question

Erik's friends have been making fun of Matthew's small muscles each day in the locker room. Erik knows this hurts Matthew's feelings, but he is afraid his friends will make fun of him if he doesn't join in the teasing. What should Erik do?

Answer 1

He could just ignore everyone or he could tell a teacher. He could help Eric get better muscles by lifting weights with him.

But the best thing is to stick up for your friends or you could lose them.

Answer 2

Bullying is a learnt behavior. There are several reasons why people bully others; more often than not, bullying can be a coping mechanism for people who are going through a stressful situation and it may be learnt from abuse or prejudice-based attitudes at home. Often people who bully are currently or have at some point been bullied themselves. Other reasons for bullying include jealousy and insecurity.

Speak to the person who is bullying you: Sometimes, the person who is bullying you may genuinely have no idea that it is affecting you. Equally, they are probably going through a difficult time themselves and will relate to how you’re feeling.

Tell an adult: When you tell an adult it is more than likely to stop.