Witnessing bullying
If you are a bystander and you are witnessing bullying, learn about what you should and should not do.
What you should not do
- Do not ignore any bullying or pretend that it didn't happen.
- Do not encourage or participate in bullying behaviour. If you feel confident and it is safe to do so, ask the alleged bully to stop.
- Do not harass, tease or spread gossip about others - this includes using social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.
- Do not acknowledge, reply to or forward on messages or photos that may be offensive or upsetting.
What you should do
- Keep a confidential, accurate record of what you have observed.
- Encourage the person who considers they are being bullied to ask for help. For example, you can accompany them to a place where they can get help or provide them with information about where to go for help.
- Report the bullying to someone in authority, such as a manager or the Division of People and Culture (staff and students) or Head of School (students).
- If the bullying involves assault, injury or damage to property, report it to the police. If it occurs online, report it to the owner of the website.