Anti-Bullying Day

What's Anti-Bullying Day?

Anti-Bullying Day is a special day when people talk about bullying and what we can do to stop it. A lot of children take part in activities at school and online, to learn about what bullying means and what we can do if we see it happening.

When is Anti-Bullying Day?

The date of Anti-Bullying Day is different in different countries. In many places, it's on 4 May (United Nations Anti-Bullying Day). In the UK, Anti-Bullying Week takes place every November. Every day of the year, it's important to stand up against bullying.

Why is Anti-Bullying Day important?

Children who are bullied can feel sad, afraid and lonely. Other people who see bullying happening can also feel worried or afraid. Anti-Bullying Day reminds us to be kind and respectful to everyone around us. 

What exactly is bullying?

Often bullying happens when one person has more power than the other person – perhaps they're bigger or older, or they have more friends. When someone uses their power to hurt another person on purpose, especially more than once, that's bullying. 

Bullying can be with words (saying mean things) or it can be physical (hitting, pushing or taking someone's things). Leaving someone out of a group or ignoring them again and again is also bullying.

It's also important to understand when a situation is not bullying. If you have an argument with someone, and both of you can say how you feel, that's not bullying. If someone pushes you by accident and they didn't plan to hurt you, they aren't bullying. If someone is mean to you once and then says sorry, that's not bullying either. Remember, bullying is when someone has more power than the other person, they hurt the other person on purpose and they do it again and again.

What's cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying is when someone hurts, frightens or embarrasses someone else online. It could happen on your phone, on your computer or when you're playing a game. Sending unkind messages, posting mean comments or embarrassing photos, or leaving people out of an online group or a game are all examples of cyberbullying.

Why do people bully?

Sometimes people bully because they think it's cool or funny. Other times they do it because they're feeling bad themselves and they want to feel better. If a friend of yours is bullying someone, perhaps they have a problem. Try to talk to them, or tell an adult you trust.

How can we stand up against bullying?

If someone is bullying you, you could ignore them, tell them to stop or walk away. Pretend that you don't care and try to look confident, even if you don't feel it. Tell a friend or a classmate what's happening and ask them to help; or talk to your parents, a teacher or another adult you trust.

If you see someone else being bullied, never join in with the bullying or laugh at it. That will make it worse. Instead, be an 'upstander' – help and support the person who is being bullied. Either tell the person who is bullying that their behaviour is not OK or, if you can't, tell a trusted adult about the bullying. If we all stand up against bullying, we can make it stop.