I have your back

Let the person being bullied know that you’re there for them. Let them know that you’ve noticed the bullying and you’ve got their back whenever they need it.

Try to interrupt the bullying - ask the person who is being bullied for their help with something, like an assignment, or invite them to sit with you.

If you’re friends with the person doing the bullying, try to divert their attention from the person they’re bullying. Try asking if they can help you out with a problem.

Sometimes it’s best to walk away and think about what you can do to help - especially if you feel unsafe. The bullying will probably last longer if there’s an audience, even if no one else is joining in directly.

Speaking up while the bullying is happening can be scary, but it can make a big difference. If you feel safe, step in and call the person out on their bullying behaviour. Be direct, calm and confident, and let them know that their behaviour isn’t okay. Try not to call them a bully but tell them that what they are saying and doing isn’t okay.

It can help to have some backup, so chat to a close friend beforehand and try to get their support.

Support the person who is being bullied to ask for help. Offer to go with them to ask for help, or point them towards some useful info. If the bullying is happening online, you can help them to block and report the person who is bullying them or help them to find out how to do this.

It might be time to take things further if the bullying is getting out of hand and you’re worried about the person’s safety. You may need to report the bullying to a trusted adult such as a teacher, school counsellor or parent.

The same rule applies online. Sharing or ‘liking’ bullying posts can make things worse for the person being bullied. Instead, remove yourself from the situation and say something to the person who’s doing the bullying later on. You can do this via a message if speaking face-to-face isn’t your thing.

If you know someone is being bullied online, a good place to get help is the Office of the eSafety Commissioner.

Reporting cyberbullying is really easy:

1. Make a report to the social media company
2. Collect evidence
3. Make a report to the eSafety Commissioner.

All the information you need is here: Report cyberbullying.

As hard as it can be, when someone stands up to bullying behaviour, it will often stop it right away.

If you’re worried about being the first one to step in, you could talk to a trusted friend and check whether you have their support.

By taking the lead, you’ll make it easier for everyone else to be an upstander, too.

For the person being bullied, the effects can include feelings of confusion, rejection, stress, fear, shame or embarrassment.

Bullying can even cause anxiety, depression or physical illness.

It’s normal to feel scared about stepping in. But try to imagine what it’s like to be the person who’s being bullied and how much better it will be for them if you step in.

If you’re not comfortable stepping in when the bullying is happening, you could contact the person being bullied later and let them know you’ve got their back.

Sometimes, when we’ve got a tough job on our hands, we start making excuses. But, no matter which way we try to spin it, bullying is always wrong and never fair. If you find yourself making excuses for the bullying, try to imagine how you’d feel if your best friend was being treated that way.

Being a good friend and an upstander sometimes means pulling your friends up if they’re bullying someone else. This can be pretty tricky, but just because someone is your friend, it doesn’t mean they can bully others.

It’s also normal to be concerned about a friend who is bullying someone else. Their behaviour could be a sign that they’re not in a good place. If you’re not comfortable speaking to them about it face-to-face, send a message to let them know you’re worried about them.