The 14th to the 18th November marks anti-bullying week. A week set aside to raise awareness of bullying and its impact on the lives of so many.
On Friday 11th November on radio 4 an interview took place which involved a man called Ben who had experienced bullying due to his sexuality and Lucy, the mother of a teenager who had decided life was no longer worth living. That teenagers name is Felix; he died because the bullying was constant and he didn't feel like he had any other choice.
A clip of the interview can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04fztdd?ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=bbc_radio_4&ns_source=facebook&ns_linkname=radio_and_music
with a further link to the original show. Please do listen back if you can.
One of the most heartbreaking points of the interview was after Lucy had spoken and Ben responded by saying something like 'it is like you are my mum, like hearing my own mum talking about me.' When I heard this I wondered how many other people could say the same. How many people could listen to Lucy speak, someone who has gone through some of the worst pain imaginable, and think 'she could be talking about me'.
The thing is bullying isn't clear cut any more. It isn't just name calling in the playground, or physical attacking in person. Social media has given bullies a new platform, one that can raise them up and keep them hidden at the same time. I think sometimes it gives the bullies an option to use the excuse of just having 'banter' and not really meaning it. But that's not good enough. When someone is being worn down by the constant attack of another, when they are caused to feel worthless and ugly and unimportant, bullying is the only word that can describe it. A concern is that when someone is made to feel that low and are told it's 'just banter' they might just start to believe it. So why would they tell anyone what they are going through.
So I think we have a responsibility, all of us have a responsibility, to educate others on what this word bullying really means. We all have a responsibility to teach our children that this disgusting behaviour is not banter, it is not funny, it is dangerous.
I am quite in awe of Ben and Lucy for what they are doing to raise awareness of bullying. They are showing such courage and strength.
I never had the pleasure of knowing Felix, but through mutual friends I have seen pictures and heard about his life. He was a beautiful boy, his smile lit a room, and he had his whole life ahead of him. A life that was cut short because of the impact of others on it.
I pray that he is now resting in peace, free from the constant pain that the words of bullies inflicted on him. More than that I pray that he now knows how loved he is, how beautiful he is, and how much his life will now make a difference to others.
Keep making noise. Keep raising awareness. Anti-bullying week might only be 5 days a year, but we need to be talking about it another 360!
On Friday 11th November on radio 4 an interview took place which involved a man called Ben who had experienced bullying due to his sexuality and Lucy, the mother of a teenager who had decided life was no longer worth living. That teenagers name is Felix; he died because the bullying was constant and he didn't feel like he had any other choice.
A clip of the interview can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04fztdd?ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=bbc_radio_4&ns_source=facebook&ns_linkname=radio_and_music
with a further link to the original show. Please do listen back if you can.
One of the most heartbreaking points of the interview was after Lucy had spoken and Ben responded by saying something like 'it is like you are my mum, like hearing my own mum talking about me.' When I heard this I wondered how many other people could say the same. How many people could listen to Lucy speak, someone who has gone through some of the worst pain imaginable, and think 'she could be talking about me'.
The thing is bullying isn't clear cut any more. It isn't just name calling in the playground, or physical attacking in person. Social media has given bullies a new platform, one that can raise them up and keep them hidden at the same time. I think sometimes it gives the bullies an option to use the excuse of just having 'banter' and not really meaning it. But that's not good enough. When someone is being worn down by the constant attack of another, when they are caused to feel worthless and ugly and unimportant, bullying is the only word that can describe it. A concern is that when someone is made to feel that low and are told it's 'just banter' they might just start to believe it. So why would they tell anyone what they are going through.
So I think we have a responsibility, all of us have a responsibility, to educate others on what this word bullying really means. We all have a responsibility to teach our children that this disgusting behaviour is not banter, it is not funny, it is dangerous.
I am quite in awe of Ben and Lucy for what they are doing to raise awareness of bullying. They are showing such courage and strength.
I never had the pleasure of knowing Felix, but through mutual friends I have seen pictures and heard about his life. He was a beautiful boy, his smile lit a room, and he had his whole life ahead of him. A life that was cut short because of the impact of others on it.
I pray that he is now resting in peace, free from the constant pain that the words of bullies inflicted on him. More than that I pray that he now knows how loved he is, how beautiful he is, and how much his life will now make a difference to others.
Keep making noise. Keep raising awareness. Anti-bullying week might only be 5 days a year, but we need to be talking about it another 360!