How to Fight Back Against a Bully

The issue of bullying confronts a wide range of people, including schoolchildren and adults. While school bullying may involve physical violence, any bullying that includes physical or emotional abuse can create feelings of fear and intimidation. The victim of bullying needs support from peers and people in authority to fight back nonviolently against a bully. According to the National Crime Prevention Council, if peers intervene on a victim's behalf, a bully stops bullying the victim within 10 seconds in 57 percent of occasions.

Instructions

• 1

  Distract the bully with a funny joke or a clever comment. For example, if the bully starts to make fun of your clothes or your hair, laugh it off or try to think of something witty to toss back to the bully. You might get onlookers laughing at your cleverness and cause the bully to back down.

• 2

  Talk to the bully and try to reason with him. Tell the bully that you don't think it's cool to single you out with unkind comments. Be aware that this option may give fuel to the bully and increase the behavior, though.

• 3

  Walk away from the bully. Do not give the bully the time and opportunity to mistreat you. If you walk away, he's likely to leave you alone or shift his attention elsewhere.

• 4

  Seek the support of friends in a bullying situation. Stay surrounded by a group of people who will support and defend you if a bully bothers you. If peers and witnesses rise to a bullying situation and defend the victim, a bully will usually back down. Witnesses should tell the bully to stop in a direct and assertive manner.

• 5

  Get help from an adult or other people in positions of authority. Either the victim or witnesses to the bullying behavior should find someone in authority who will step in and stop the bullying.