Bullying

[Desmister]

I was bullied pretty much from the time I started school to the time I ended school. Sure, there were some years that were better than others/I wasn't bullied at all, but there are so many years that were absolutely terrible. Elementary school and high school were the absolute worst. I got physically beaten up in elementary school. At least high school was just verbal abuse. I guess that's what happens when you go to school with pretty much the same people year after year. The only reason middle school wasn't that bad is because I ended up going to a different school than most of the people in my elementary school did. I got away from them

For a while I felt like I only existed to be a human punching bag. Something for people to take their anger and just general insecurities out on so they could feel better. It was a terrible feeling. I got sick of being the awkward outcast kid nobody liked

It's part of the reason why I'm so insecure and have a hard time trusting people today. I've gotten better but it's just so ingrained in my mind that it's hard to completely let go of

[DannyFenton123]

I was never beaten up, but I was completely and utterly friendless in my first six years of school. The other mums didn't want their kids to talk to me because we had family problems and didn't go to church.

[Xavy]

I was neither a bully nor a victim. I wasn't popular in school, but people left me alone.

[Mostly Peaceful Ryan]

I got in a fight once when a group of bullies attacked me and my friend. It didn't end well for the bullies, there is a reason why it is once.

[Grace Barton]

I was a victim from nursery until I finished high school. It was usually just verbal bullying (name-calling, mocking), and occasionally they'd have me pinned against a wall while they all gathered around me asking dumb questions and mocking my answers. I usually dealt with it fine by completely ignoring them, which meant they would start shouting at me instead and calling me an 'ignorant b****' trying to get a reaction from me.

Only twice did it turn physical, though this was short-lived after I finally snapped and shrieked at one of them, telling them to f*** off in front of my entire class and teacher (I never swore, and my teacher didn't tell me off either!). One of the physical attempts could have ended up serious as I was tripped up on the stairs and nearly cracked my head open on the edge of a concrete step (thank you, fast reflexes).

Kind of ironic that that particular bully was one of the first to add me as a friend on Facebook. I did consider ignoring it, but I decided to be grown-up about it and accepted. I actually have quite a few former bullies on my friends' list. None of them have ever tried to contact me, which suits me fine.

[Autumn Season]

Was bullied a bit, but it was not bad. Everyone was just being immature and I didn't care much.

[Squirrel Combat]

I was both. I gave people crap and people gave me crap. I stopped giving people crap and the bullying ceased, mostly.

[SkyWorld]

I was both... unfortunately. People have bullied me really harshly... and that had led me to bully others because of that anger. It's no excuse though and I still feel guilty and I never had the chance to apologize. Although it was years ago, I'm not too sure if they still hold a grudge or not, but since I moved so many times, I didn't have the chance to apologize to them. I just hope that they're doing better and I wish they knew how sorry I was.

[Araminta]

I was bullied in my childhood, and some "friends" said nasty things behind my back. This was one of the things that led up to my depression a few years later. Thankfully I feel much better now!

[Skipper Valvoline]

Only one person ever in my life had the power to truly bully me and affect me with it.

My younger brother.

[Kuebiko]

Sheltered life and in a girls' school for most of my life, so bullying wasn't physical for me. There was a lot of ostracizing and name-calling but not much else. I learned to tune them out in due time.

On the other hand, I was harrassed, not sexually, in church (oh the irony). I'm not against Christians and Christianity (being one myself) but I hated that church. It went on for quite a while and I didn't dare to tell anyone. I think my parents caught on eventually and we switched to a different church. I think after that experience I took up more physical activities and started being quite mistrustful of a lot of people. I know it had an effect on me but I can't quite pin point what.

[SilverPin]

Are you a bully if you bully a bully?

[Jea]

Victim, through most of primary school, and sometimes in secondary school too (when they found a thing, it spread rapidly and people used it to humiliate me even if they were normal things).

[Jea]

Are you a bully if you bully a bully?

I'd say it depends on how bad both are (if they call someone something and you beat them up, yes, but not if it's the opposite. I don't approve of opposing violence with violence, but as a child, if it's the only thing possible to avoid the worst of it, I understand it.

[SilverPin]

Are you a bully if you bully a bully?

I'd say it depends on how bad both are (if they call someone something and you beat them up, yes, but not if it's the opposite. I don't approve of opposing violence with violence, but as a child, if it's the only thing possible to avoid the worst of it, I understand it.

Okay, then I chose the wrong answer....

[Jea]

Are you a bully if you bully a bully?

I'd say it depends on how bad both are (if they call someone something and you beat them up, yes, but not if it's the opposite. I don't approve of opposing violence with violence, but as a child, if it's the only thing possible to avoid the worst of it, I understand it.

Okay, then I chose the wrong answer....

In what sense, if you don't mind my asking?

Just my opinion though, don't judge yourself on something I said without knowing the circumstances. In the end, I think it's your thoughts about it that matter. You know the context, you know what happened and why you reacted the way you did. Don't judge yourself too harshly, especially if you were a child.

[marauders]

I was severly bullied from about the time I turned eleven (5th grade) to right around sixteen (11th grade). The bullying was never physical; only verbal taunts regarding things like my clothing, glasses, weight, and so on. Like one of the above posters said, it is not something that I am ashamed about or regret. Even though it was hurtful, I think that it was an experience that helped make me into the person I am today.

[MarieIsEatingTacobell]

I was bullied throughout my entire time attending public schools. Mostly name calling, taunting, teasing, but I was assaulted on two occasions. A girl choked me in middle school, and a guy hit me in high school. Another incident that stands out to me is when a guy twice my size cornered me and yelled at me til I cried in front of the whole class. I had friends luckily, so I wasn't completely alone, but school was definitely rough. Being the short, fat, nerd girl made me a target I suppose.

[korik]

I was teased a lot for my appearance in elementary school.

and teased with sexuality in jr high. (mostly words or gestures, etc. though one individual would touch my arms/shoulders without permission. <-- That happened Every day in class. He would touch me as he walked past my desk. So I took the time to grow out my finger-nails then filed them to a sharp point, and clawed the Fuck out of him.)

Frankly, my jr. high is terribly lucky that I didn't go all Carrie on their asses!!!!

High school was pretty benign, though. ...Even though I am pretty sure everyone thought I was gay.

[Larien]

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