I'm a 34 year old woman that has been bullied on and off my whole life. It started when I was a child with a nickname my grandma called me. Of course back then being bullied was pretty much name calling and hurt feelings. Now for the first time as an adult, I was bullied. I didn't think it could happen now, but it did. At my work place. I have verbally harassed, rumors have spread, this "woman" has been in my face. Now most of this has happened in front of my manager with nothing being done to stop it. As an adult I have to options of quitting or/and contacting an attorney. Children do not have this option. I have been told "we'll look into it" (that's my favorite), "maybe you should reevaluate the situation". The fact is that bullying is out of control, it's happening in schools, work environments and even just by strangers. I can't imagine if I was a teenager and talked to as if it was my fault. I had the same feelings of helplessness I did as a child while this was happening. I wish I could say that it will stop, but it won't. I wish I could tell kids that it will get better, but it really doesn't it. People like all of us need to take these stands for the ones who can't or no longer can. Child bullies grown up too and for some of them they just find new people and ways to torment and new excuses. For all of you reading this that have or are the victim of bullying and you don't feel like anyone is taking you serious, please find some to talk to. Someone out of the school system, someone other than your family and friends. Find people like all of us online that will always be here to help, listen, support and go head to head with bullies for you.

Barbara

I have been being bullied for 9-11 years of my life for everything from being poor, what I look like, how I dress, for my health problems which I cant control, and so much more I went home every day from my kindergarten year, all the way to my soon to be 9 th grade year and I cry everyday even if I don't show it hurts me, everyone is bullying me I only have 4 main friends that support me and help me for 5 -5 1/2 years I had cut myself and done anything to harm myself cause I thought I wasn't good enough to be part of this world I was called fat, ugly, worthless, nobody, whore, slut, bitch, I was called the schools bitch any word people could think of to use to hurt me I am pushed into locker and just hurt daily but because of all that I tried suicide a total of 2 times both times failed I hurt so much I thought no one would care about me they and that they wouldn't notice if I was gone but and I still do but I never knew what to do I would self harm during school, on the bus, at home, where ever I was I was hurt myself and I was hurt everyday I lost many friends cause they started to bully me I felt so lost I didn't know how to handle it all I just wanted to give up. I faked a smile and faked everything and to this day I still fake being happy and I still hurt I never thought I would get bullied so bad to the point I would hurt and try and have thoughts of suicide a lot of the times I'm scared to be in school or even leave I'm afraid school isn't safe I never feel safe at school anymore but I'm little by little getting better. There is so much more to my story that I can not tell but never let anyone put you down cause YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL just the way you are.

Never let people get you down you are who you are for a reason an that's what makes you special to the world and just remember someone out there loves you for you don't change who you are.

 I used to be in the 6th grade. I can't go back to my school now because a cruel rumour changed my life...

Here's my story:

I had a falling out with one of my best friends at the beginning of 6th grade. Even though I tried to make things right, he wouldn't budge! The very next week, a rumor started going around that I was racist! Are you kidding me?!!! My cousins are bi-racial and my mom watches black kids in our home! I couldn't believe it- but everyone else did.

Later that week, I was punched in the face by one hand in a crowd of kids. I couldn't tell who the hand belonged to, so nobody got in trouble. That was just the beginning of my torment. I would get shoulder checked in the hall and called " white boy" and that same group of kids decided to pour chocolate milk into my locker. The worst of it came this past month when I was attacked in the lunchroom by a group of American black kids and then two days later I was pushed off a rail onto the concrete by a Somali!  I became a target for the black population at my school and couldn't make it stop. The following Friday, I was told by a guy from my school that the rumor is if I come back to school, somebody will shoot me! The rumor turned out to be true and someone did say it!  

Well, that did it! My parents withdrew me... Charges have been filed, expulsions have occurred and suspensions handed out, but they still can't guarantee my safety.

I do my work from home now and am not really sure what will happen next year. I WANT to go back to school and just be a normal kid! I WANT people to know how rumours can ruin a persons life, or in my case, kill people! I WANT the bullying to stop! I WANT people to take a stand against it to protect people like me! I WANT my life back :-(

My name is Addison Howarth. When I was kid in the year 2000, bullying started for me at YMCA, whom had a program over at our school for kids who's parents wanted to keep them at school until they were able to pick them up. I was called mean names, the most popular being "One-eyed freak" and "Cyclops", kids were on their bikes circling around me talking trash to me, and I would just stand there frightened and nervous before other kids or the YMCA staff themselves would run over to stand up for me. And really, I had a couple of friends, but I was still a quiet kid.

Nothing really bad happened to me. This bullying was short-term. It all ended pretty quickly when other kids from the YMCA all stood up for me and the bullying kids drove off with their bikes scared, never to be picked on by them again.

Then comes along middle school. I wasn't the one being bullied, Another friend was. And he was always made fun of because of having one eyebrow and his voice. But really, if you got to know him.. he's actually a really cool guy especially with his amazing drawings. I'll never forget his drawings, he's such an artist! He was pushed around a lot and slammed up against the lockers a couple of times. But he was a strong kid, me and a couple of friends were always there for him and cheering him on with his drawings and just helping him stay cool. He had a lot of those depressed days and came to me and friends for help and we were there and ready to help him stand up against the bullies. And then out of nowhere.. High school came and we were separated in different schools and I haven't heard from him in a couple of years, until I made a facebook and added him! When I did, he told me he had all these friends and stood up to anyone trying to pick on him and he was such a brave person because of me and my other friends.

I was diagnosed with anorexia, manic depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, and OCD when I was 15 years old. I was a freshman in high school, had a solid group of friends, and hid my secret from the world until I was too sick to not be noticed. I was sent to treatment in St. Louis. Unfortunately when I grew better and returned to school, the friends I once had were gone. The ones I loved turned their backs to me and spread rumors and gossip about me and my treatment stay. I had never been more alone in my life. My high school years consisted of my eating in the nurses office due to the fact that when I ate in the cafeteria kids would throw food at me, and when I would have a depression breakdown I would go and lay in the office and cry. I had to call my parents from school when things got hard and often had to leave early. People didnt understand my illness and instead chose to pick on me and make me feel miserable about myself. I had no friends, and once I graduated school I was so happy to be free. Little did I know that the years to come would be filled with cyber bullies and suicide attempts. Before I started my freshman year of college I attempted to take my life for a second time after yet another internet bully blast. I ended up in the psych ward for a time. I thought that I would never fit in anywhere, that I would never find anyone who understood or accepted me. But when I started school at Webster University, a liberal arts college in St. Louis, I was greeted with open arms. People didnt care what had happened to me previously, only wanted to help me through my hard times and do what they could for me. Now, 5 years later, 20 years old, Im sitting in my college dorm room on the last day of my freshman year of college. Ive made so many friends and am a new person inside and out. When people say things will get better, I used to think it was stupid. But now I look and see that they are right. Things, no matter how hard they are, WILL get better. You just have to keep strong and move forward with all your might, no matter what, and know that theres light at the end of the tunnel. I now use my art as a way to raise awareness about bullying and the effects it has on people.

Always always always try, and never give up. Even if its 5 years or more later, things do get better.

I was a pretty quiet kid growing up. At the age of 9 I was diagnosed with Tourette's Syndrome. Even through high school some kids would say things to me about my Tourette's, things that I couldn't control. It would often hurt my feelings, however I noticed that I wasn't the only one being bullied. A few times I witnessed bullying far worse than I had to really endure. I was never physically bullied, and the teasing wasn't so bad. I found that I could fly pretty under the radar. But I did see some kids get pushed and punched and laughed at. So many times I wanted to do something, to stand up for them. But I was so small that I didn't feel comfortable sticking up for any of them. I recently watched this documentary and found myself crying intensely. I don't think I realized how much it affected me growing up. And I am 25 now. It has been years since I have had someone tease me for my Tourette's. But now I feel like I am strong enough to stand up for those who have to endure this. With all my heart I will make sure that if I can make a difference in someone else's life by helping them out and standing by their side, I will do so

Bullying stopped for me when I entered High School and wouldn't allow it to happen anymore. But the time since then I was bullied for just about anything....from being half minority, to living without my father, to the cloths I wore, to the way I tuned people out or didn't seem to follow through with clubs or clicks. I was picked on and harassed for things I couldn't help and instead of standing up, I suffered it in silence and refused to let my voice be heard because I didn't think it would make a difference. And now I see how its evolved into something horrible. If I had taken the steps and spoken up sooner, maybe things wouldn't be as bad. I am only one person, but one person's voice can always make more of a difference. So here and now, as a mother of two. I will make my stand, and I will teach my children the compassion and understanding to be able to make it through this world, and to teach them to speak up and not suffer in silence. To feel comfortable in your own skin.

This is a normal thing that I have to get used to every day,"bullied for your lunch money." I mean almost eveyday here a different type of bully and his crew come and surrounds you that way when you refuse they can easily that can beat you. I just give them my money because I don't start no trouble and walk to the nearest teacher and tell them  what's wrong. Sometimes they ask me where was the exact location and set up a plan to catch them in the act. My name is Chris Coleman and these are some of my bully adaptation that happens everyday for the last 8 years of my life. 

My name is Victoria Silva. I'm 16 years old and I stand. I know this is long but I would appreciate if someone would hear me out. 

     As if growing up in North Philadelphia PA,. was not hard enough, I was bullied. Ever since I could remember, I got called mean names, shoved around, got my hair chopped off, got poked, stabbed, hit....I got Bullied. If you think that was bad, it get's worse. When I was in the fourth grade, my summer camp took us to the local play ground. None of the kids really talked to me, most times it wouldn't of mattered because I always had my family. I was playing on the monkey bars when my bully asked another girl "Wouldn't it be funny if I just pushed her off?" They both laughed. So being pushed wouldn't be that bad eh? No.. I believe it left me not broken but bent. Being the adventurous kid I was, I was hanging upside down holding on to the monkey bars with the back of my knees. I begged the girl to please don't push me. Unfortunately some kids have the habit of doing the opposite of what they are told when suggested by people they don't like. I saw it in her eyes she was gonna push me, and I tried my fastest to get down but she kicked my back and I landed right on my face. Scraping my forehead, nose and lip. Blood was uncontrollably gushing out and this was extremely painful. Everyone crowded including staff. One staff member held my face and rushed me to the car. Another staff member (who I got the vibe from that she didn't like me) said "LET ME SEE LET ME SEE!" She examined then groaned in disgust. "EWWWWW THATS DISGUSTING" As if it didn't make me feel worse. I did not do anything to provoke this incident at all. In fact I stayed to myself. I got cleaned up at the rec center where my mother worked as the Adolescent Violent Reduction Program's Director. The rec center's director called her from her office and I could just see the pain she felt for me and I started to cry. Like I am now. After being cleaned up and band-aided up,       the director of the summer camp program served the bully and also his niece NO CONSEQUENCES WHAT SO EVER.  With the assumption that I must have done something to her to receive such treatment. I was asked not to come back for at least a week. My mom fought for me in this matter but could not win. The director feared that I , being a rather large and tall intimidating child, would come back and take revenge on his niece and that could not happen. Sometime I wish I could just go back and do something to this girl. Make her feel how I feel everyday. I am left with a permanent bubbled scar right under my nose. When I got back to school I could not tell you the number of times I was asked if I needed a tissue. For my name had no longer been Victoria, It was Booger face. I was the girl with the permanent boogie. Forever boogie. Well at least I think. The scar still remains till this day. Its been almost 9 years. NINE YEARS of even more hurt and pain. I went to a charter school. I thank my mom so much for that. The bulling would have been worse in public school. Especially in Philadelphia, where kids can be so cruel.  I became and outcast that no one wanted to be friends with. That was until people started hearing about the celebrities who I will not mention I am related to. People started to act like friends but put me down at the same time. Still being bullied and these so called friends would just laugh about it. I was so depressed and the one friend who I loved became food. Yes food. But my dear old friend food who made me happy also made it worse. The bulling. I became obese eating everything in such large portions. It didn't help that my dad was a great cook either.  The bulling became brutal. I was hit, I was called even more names and people would make up things and say I said it to involve me in more drama. It was horrible. Everything was reported but all I got back was "We will handle it. Just stay away from them. Sticks and Stones Victoria, Sticks and stones." Said the councilor and dean every time. Those words became so common, I could almost say it as they were saying it. Sticks and Stones AS WELL AS WORDS hurt. Yes they hurt. Some words feel like bullets entering your temple we call bodies. If words were bullets I'd be dead and filled with many holes. Nothing was ever done. My mom was always at my school searching for the consequences never given to my bullies. Sixth grade I was bullied so much and filled with so much pain. That was also the very first time I got suspended. I got suspended before I even got a detention in my life. My bully for that day was a girl in my class Joivian. It was lunch time and I sat by myself. I was drawling a picture of a mermaid. A beautiful creature I have always wished to be. Joi walks over and looks at it in disgust. I say nothing and keep drawling to get the response. "EWW what the hell is that? Its so ugly just like your face!" Everyone laughs and humiliated, I run. I run to the bathroom, face filled with tears and heavy backpack on my back. A girl who was rather popular but never bullied me stopped me and asked me if I was okay? I said no and played back the scenes from the lunch room. See joivian was bulling me for a while. I guess being bullied for such along time and not doing anything they continued. I was 5 foot 4 at the time. Pretty tall as a sixth grader.  Joi was way shorter than me. I became angered that I always do nothing. But as I started calming down, Joi approached me and started calling me cry baby and other names. She said "Aww poor ugly ass baby." and put her hand in my face and pushed slightly. Before I knew it my bag was on the floor and my fist was at her face. I blacked out and can only tell what I saw through the videos taken. As I was being taken to the office, Joi was crying and I felt good. I felt like a million bricks were just lifted off my shoulders. I even laughed a little. Now that I look back on it its scares me. I was taken to the counsiler and Joi and I were sat right next to her. I stared at her with so much hate. "Victoria this is unacceptable behavior and is not tolerated in this school. " I tried to explain how she bullied me first but It seemed that I was the one being the bully. "How could you lay your hand on her?" she yelled. "She laid her hand on me first!" I objected and she pointed to joi's face. "Look that is your hand print on her cheek isn't it?! You Are Just A Big Bully!" She yelled one bullet right through my heart, those words. I was the bully? and I saw it. It was indeed my hand. I had no idea that I was capable of that. Joi was dark skinned and you could see the bubbling between the print of my fingers. It made me think of my scar. Joi was sent to the nurse as I stayed quiet seeing as I had no chance of winning this battle. I was going to be the only one suspended until my mother who is my #1 hero till this day requested to see the video All truth was reviled but we were both suspended. "You shouldn't of hit her." They all said. "Tell an adult" They said. I couldn't help but yell. "I have been! I'm at the office almost everyday!" My mom confirmed it but they sent me home. You can't win standing up for yourself. But I stand. Even when I'm loosing. Even if I'm standing alone. I still stand. 

In 8th grade I was also suspended for standing up to another bully and apparently I looked to be intimidating towards another student who was shorter and smaller than me. "3 day suspension. Intimidation" Now that doesn't sound right. And my mom fought. She plead my case to the board of education being that she knew how because she was a high school teacher at the time. We stood even though we lost. I am still bullied to this day but nowhere near as I was during middle school. The high school I go to now Is more accepting. I go to a small performing arts school where people can dress like freaks and still be welcomed with open arms. Its nice actually. But doesn't mean all kids don't bully. I'm bullied within and out of school. That's mostly the reason I stay in my house, Under a rock you could pretty much say. I have two best friends who love me for my personality and accept me. Happy ending ? No. It doesn't mean I accept myself. My self esteem is still decreasing every time I look in the mirror. Disgusted my body and face. Still have not had a boyfriend and im turning 17. I truly hate how I look. I wish I had money to get my scar surgically removed. More so I can live free to live my dream. To become an actress, But who will even want an ugly face? Even with make up I still see my scar and everyone else does too because I catch people looking at my nose instead of my eyes when they talk to me. I still feel fat even though I lost a whole lot of weight. I still way 214 pounds not that many people believe it because i don't have a hugeee belly a chubby one but, I'm super tall and big boned with huge boobs and a huge butt. I wish I could change my whole body. In fact I always think about suicide. I always question myself on why am I even here? All I do is give myself and my parents a hard time. Even my friends have it bad dealing with my depression and low confidence. I'm always putting myself down and I know I should stop but It can't. I will always feel ugly and fat and irrelevant. But when I see others being bullied I do stand up for them no matter what they reply back because I will not sit down and be a bystander. Some would say, Well thats a reason to be here. But I say No! It really isnt my job to do this. I stand because I know what it feels like. But I dont think I was put here for that soul purpose. I try hard to make it look like i have confidence in school and try to be the best person I can for some freshman who are like me and want to be as strong as I look. But in reality I am only strong enough to stand. 

My name is Lexi Bender and my story started back in August 2012. It was all good at the beginning of the year till the real personality's started to show. You see I thought the girls in my 4th period class were actually my friends and I thought I could trust them but apparently I was wrong. I was clueless and I was letting the walk all over me and take advantage of me. They got me into stuff I never would have done if I had never met them. Little did I know that I was getting bullied. They had started nasty rumors about me that weren't even true. They were turning everyone against me. It was horrible. I thought I could never show my face again. I hated them. They were so two faced! Well anyways a few weeks past and nothing happened till a month later something similar happened. Then it keep on going and going. I felt miserable. Till one day, I stood up for myself. I took my ground and gave them a piece of mind. I had to put an end to all of this. Today I still stand my ground and learned how to stand up and speak out. Thanks for reading my story.