Stop Violence workbook 1 - Unesco

We Can Stop Violence
Chapter 5
We Can Stop Bullying
Key Objectives
After finishing this chapter you should be able to:
1. Define ‘bullying’
2. Explain why bullying hurts
3. Discuss at least two things to do if you are being bullied
Jonathon says:
34
Jonathon Was a Bully
I was a bully as a boy. They say that most bullies do not come out of loving homes –
and I did not. I did not like my father – he was a real bully, I tell you. At school, I used
to pick on younger, weaker children. It made me feel powerful. I know now as an
adult that it was because I did not feel powerful any other way. I was not good at
school work. I was good at sports but I hated the fact that I did not come first in
running. I hated many things about myself and I tried to hide it by being boasty.
My teacher knew I was a bully and one day she really gave it to me. She did not beat
me but one thing she said that got to me was ‘do you know that bullies are cowards?’ I
was angry with her because she had hit upon the truth, at least where I was concerned.
I was not only scared of boys bigger than myself, I would not fight anybody even my
own size. I would never pick a fight with anyone who had any chance of beating me. I
was afraid of pain.
Thank God I grew out of beating people up. I now have a wife and three children. A
man is supposed to protect his family, not beat them up. Life is hard enough for them
outside without them getting it at home too. We try and make the home a nice place –
a refuge. It is also embarrassing also for the neighbours to hear all that kind of thing.
There is a family that has some real problems down the street and everybody talks
about them. I am sorry for the children, especially.
I always had to give myself excuses why I had to bully. Now I feel in control of myself,
like an adult.