What can I do if I’m bullying someone?

If you think that you might be displaying bullying behaviour, we thank you for checking out this page because it shows that you are taking your actions seriously and want to find ways to stop, which is a really positive start.  

Bullying is a behaviour and NOT a label, which means that, with the right help and support, you can change your behaviours and turn them into more positive actions.  

We’ll start with a definition, as it’s important to identify if something is really bullying behaviour or if it’s a one-off incident, friends falling out or ‘banter’.  

"Banter can form a part of healthy friendships. It means that both people are in on the joke."

It’s equal and light-hearted and doesn’t target things that you know someone is uncomfortable about or something like race, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion or disability. Excusing bullying behaviour as ‘just a joke’ or ‘banter’ is not ok – that’s why having a clear definition can help with this. It helps us to know if something is or isn’t bullying behaviour.

According to The Diana Award's definition,

"Bullying is repeated, negative behaviour that is intended to make others feel upset, uncomfortable or unsafe." 

It must be both repeated (more than once) and intended (on purpose) for something to be considered bullying behaviour.