I’m not one to talk about this openly, or to even let people know about this dark period of my life; and yes, I say dark period because it was a time in my life I don’t wish on my most hated enemy. This is not an experience you talk about so openly, or is something that people are well aware of the consequences of it. I’ve always been a strong-willed woman, even if I don’t show it, but there are words that mark you for life, experiences that change you no matter how you face them. Let me tell you a little bit of my story.
I was on third grade when it started. I was told he was messing with me because he liked me. The boy used to hit me, call me names, and throw my stuff on the floor, but according to everyone around me, my teacher, the principal and the school social worker, it was because he liked me. This kept going on for the next year. For two whole years I passed through this torture. Eventually, when my parents went to the principal’s office to file complaints, she dismissed them. Similarly to how she spoke to me the first time, she gave them the excuse that his behavior was a kids thing and that he was doing it because he liked me; on the second time, she said that he was doing it because I was provoking him. No complaints were filed or anything. After I finished fourth grade, and with still no action taken by the school administration, my parents decided to transfer me to a different school. Since then, I haven’t heard news about him.
From fifth grade onward, I wasn’t bullied at all, just a name calling here and there, but when I got to the ninth grade, I got moved to another school. During the first few months, since I was the new girl, my schoolmates were getting to know me and getting to know how to push my buttons. I have always been a really transparent girl, people can read right through me, so they learned my triggers fast. By the time I was on the tenth grade, even the new kids became part of the bullying. The most traumatic experience during those years, would have been the time my geometry teacher left me on the board to do some exercises and left the classroom. As soon as she left and closed the door, paper balls, pencils, pens and eraser were thrown my way. I got out of the classroom crying. Later on came the name calling, which went on until twelfth grade. On the beginning of the twelfth grade I decided to put a stop to it: I went to the principal’s office and gave my complains to him and the social worker. The principal meet with us and after that the rest of my senior year went by smoothly.
To all of those who bullied me, thank you, because you made aware that I am stronger than I look. Thank you for showing me your true colors, for letting me know what you were made of. Thank you for showing who I should and who I shouldn’t trust. You didn’t break me, you made stronger. You made me a warrior, you made create thicker skin, making me aware that not everything that shines is gold. Thank you because thanks to you, I am who I am today.
To all those who going through what I went through, you are not alone. Thousands of kids go through it. Talk to someone, don’t let it slide. This is not “it’s a kids thing” or “he’s doing it because he likes you:” this a serious matter. Bullied kids are between 2 to 9 times likely to commit suicide because of it, according to a study in Yale University. If you are going through this situation, join a support group, go to a professional, but most importantly talk. Say it out loud. Don’t keep it to yourself, because that would only make it worse.
If you wish to know more about how to raise bullying awareness and the different types of bullying that exist, please visit http://www.bullyingstatistics.org/.