> When people know you will fight back they tend to not mess with you and getting hit is not the worst thing that can happen to you. You'll heal up. Not fighting back sticks with you and hurts forever.
100%
I once had a kid walk up to me and tell me he had to show me something out in the recess yard. We get out to a certain spot, he bends down and picks up a screwdriver and throws it at me, slammed into the side of my head. To this day I have no idea why, didn't know the kid.
I chased him back into the school building, he turned a corner and the principal was standing there talking to a teacher. I remember very clearly he drew up next to the principal and had a shit eating grin on his face.
I removed that grin from his face very quickly, he thought I was afraid of the consequences of beating him in front of the principal. He learned otherwise.
To the principals credit, once I told him the story, saw the knot on my head, AND the screwdriver I got away with absolutely no punishment.
I've never been one to start things, and in fact often times I let them go too far, but I've never actually been afraid of a fight. I used to move a lot as a kid and at some point I just got used to having to fight atleast 1 person at a new school, once people realized you wouldn't take their shit, they didn't give it.
Yeah, if that was everyone's experience being bullied no one would care.
My bullies would tackle me, surround me, and kick me while I was down for minutes. Never less then 6 of them at a time. I had 3 concussions from being tackled and having my head smashed against the floor.
They would throw sand into my eyes. I remember not being able to see while being beat. I remember having to wear an eye patch for a week from the abrasions.
They would throw large sticks at me, I have numerous scars from being hit in the face.
They would break my things, I had multiple bikes smashed on the bike rack.
They would steal my things, if I had anything nice in my desk they would steal it when the teacher was out of the room.
They would shove dog shit in my face when they tackled me to the ground in their groups.
They would ostracize me from every other person at school, anyone I tried to talk to would have to ignore me for fear of being beaten up and treated the same. Even those that I was good friends with outside of school felt they couldn't let it be known in school.
I'd have my pants pulled down almost every single day while I was walking in crowds.
I stood up and fought for myself every single time. I never backed out. I always tried to fight back. I was larger then any of them individually. I had my dad take me to Taekwondo from the time I was in grade 2. I started lifting weights in grade 4.
My only recourse was to avoid them. From grade 2 to grade 11 I would pretend to be sick for weeks at a time in order to avoid going to school. Avoidance was my ONLY option, nothing else worked. I would use up every single sick day I could without getting expelled in high school. I'm not even sure about elementary school, they didn't have a max number of days, but I'm sure I missed at least half of every year.
Finally in grade 11 I managed to get the fight to stop by knocking four teeth out of my main bullies mouth and giving him 18 stitches. I was knocked out cold and barely remember the fight.
Standing up for yourself doesn't always work, everyone in this thread that thinks it does is extremely naive.
I'm glad that you punching your bully once solved the problem for you though.
100%
I once had a kid walk up to me and tell me he had to show me something out in the recess yard. We get out to a certain spot, he bends down and picks up a screwdriver and throws it at me, slammed into the side of my head. To this day I have no idea why, didn't know the kid.
I chased him back into the school building, he turned a corner and the principal was standing there talking to a teacher. I remember very clearly he drew up next to the principal and had a shit eating grin on his face.
I removed that grin from his face very quickly, he thought I was afraid of the consequences of beating him in front of the principal. He learned otherwise.
To the principals credit, once I told him the story, saw the knot on my head, AND the screwdriver I got away with absolutely no punishment.
I've never been one to start things, and in fact often times I let them go too far, but I've never actually been afraid of a fight. I used to move a lot as a kid and at some point I just got used to having to fight atleast 1 person at a new school, once people realized you wouldn't take their shit, they didn't give it.