NEWS RELEASE
TIMMINS POLICE SERVICE
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In light of recent matters reported by concerned parents, the Timmins Police Service is issuing an advisory to remedy the situation so that instances are less frequent and less severe,
Bullying is mean, cruel, hurtful behaviour. It involves using power in a negative way to hurt others. While there is evidence to support the view that only hurt people go about the practice of hurting people, the Timmins Police are providing tips to address this seemingly chronic issue.
For children who are being bullied on an ongoing basis, it is recommended that you:
- Talk to an adult that you trust, and don’t be afraid to ask a friend to go with you
- Report any incident of bullying to your teacher or school principal
- Spend your time with true friends: people you can count on to support you
- Display outward confidence: stand your ground and calmly let the bully know that it is not welcomed or permissible
- Stand up for yourself without being overly aggressive; remember - violence only makes things worse
- As best you can, try to remember that you do not deserve to be bullied or harassed
To seek out help, please keep the Kids Help Phone line of 1-800- 668-6868 in mind or make use of the following link.
For bullies, (and you know who you are):
- Bullying behavior will not serve you in the long run
- Talk to someone you trust who can help you find ways to have healthier relationships
- Ask a friend to tell you if they notice if you start to bully others
- You have the choice to like or dislike whoever you choose but you do have to respect everybody
- Own your behavior: apologize and monitor your own behavior
- Test your courage: while not always easy, try to be more inclusive and develop the habits of a good friend
- Everyone has power. Use yours in a positive way to help others, not hurt them
And finally, a message for the bystanders and silent witnesses of bullying:
- Go get help: be part of the solution; watching and doing nothing only serves to make you part of the problem
- Report any incident of bullying to your teacher without delay
- Be observant: assess the situation; intervene if you feel safe — if not, get an adult to help
- Don’t be afraid to ask friends to support you in speaking out against bullying
- Under no circumstances is it ok to laugh or cheer: be a better friend and refuse to go along with it
- Ask your teacher or guidance counsellor for effective ways to intervene - Never be afraid to talk to the person who has been bullied and let them know that they do not deserve to be treated that way - show them that you are concerned
- Try to be more inclusive of kids who you know are being bullied; be a good friend
We all have the power to make a huge difference in stopping and preventing bullying.
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