Have you ever felt bullied?

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This is probably obvious, but doing favours for people in the workplace will tend to make them speak out on your behalf when someone slanders you for a superficial reason.

I have scars from stitches. A finger that pains me from defending myself. I have had teachers whack books over my head, pull my hair, had one brake a small board over my head. All of it in public. Some actually laughed. I was the one in trouble. Some of it was from not being able to pay attention. Teachers, and students don't really get away with that stuff anymore thankfully. Out of all that, I would say the mental scarring is the worst. Child, and mental abuse is not easy to just get over, and it can make you very depressed, or very angry, and mean.

I was bullied until High School. Elementary wasn't terrible but Junior High was a nightmare. I imagine prison couldn't be any worse and I'm dead serious. I was always targeted for bullying and I still cannot figure out why. One thing I CAN say with certainty is that it was 100% NOT because I had low self-esteem. That came later with the repeated attacks. I was a very happy child in elementary school at least until we moved after Grade 4.

I'm also verbally bullied a bit as an adult and someone told me it's because of the combination of my height and friendliness (platonic) and respect for women threatens the "alpha" guys so they go into full on attack mode. I don't know if that's true but countless people who don't know each other have told me that.

I have been bullied so yes I feel that way, though sometimes I might feel like that even if its not the case due to bad past experiences.

I honestly believe most people think that I am making it up. I know a psychologist during the height of the childhood bullying essentially said as such. Let's face it, I *look* like a stereotypical bully (tall, unshaven, bad attitude) and few would suspect the abuse I had to go through. I am SO glad I found WP and countless others who can validate my experiences! Believe me, I WISH I was making my stories up as they would be easier to deal with.[/quote]

Im 6'3". I shave once a week. And I'm a mechanic. I'm no girly man either. Doesn't matter. People see something different, and they go after it. (Stigma). It is no different than being black in a white community as far as I am concerned. If I had a mind to fight back physically, I would be in prison.

I know what you mean. Assault is frowned upon in this society. As an Aspie, I bet you're a really good, precise mechanic--perhaps that evokes jealousy in others?

I was bullied somewhat as a child and teen--obviously, for being outside the norm. I fought back a few times. One time, I tore this kid's wrist ligaments, causing the kid's parents to sue my mother for medical bills.

Hockey is a game where fighting is quasi-legal. You know what they say after an especially epic battle: Finally, a hockey game has broken out. I watch it sometimes. My stepfather was obsessed with the Islanders in the mid-late 70's. We used to watch the Islanders-Rangers playoff games with particular fervor. I got to know, in a small way, via newspaper articles, most of the Islander (and the Ranger) players. Clark Gillies was an example of a big guy who could hold his own, yet played the game of hockey well.

Do you still play hockey? I've only played street hockey as a young kid.

In high school it was both reasons. I was bullied by classmates and then by a teacher because I am "just different" "don't mess up" and "don't joke around." I was also bullied for being really really smart, have learning difficulties and sensory issues, and having pet goats.

When I started to get accommodations, especially for taking tests, one teacher/staff member who was involved in all aspects of the school and academics, thought that I was trying to "get away with getting advantages and somebody had to stop me." She said that to my mom when she finally understood that I wasn't trying to get away with anything, though she never apologized.

I hated it when people said just ignore them, because I really couldn't. They were also doing it when I did not give any response to them.

people used to throw things at me, call me ret*d, tell me they wanted to punch me, take my thiings, draw over my drawings. and so much more.

Bullied in school and at work.

Sometimes very obvious (physical assaults) and sometimes more subtle things I was not aware of until people told me what was going on.

There are people who are social predators and they see that you are weak and apart from the herd, so an easy victim.

Still trying to figure out why the OP asked about "feeling" -- was the question about those times when you are unsure because it's some subtle social thing instead of pepper in the eyes or a fist in the face?

Jennie, before I answer your question bullying is ALWAYS 100% fault of the bully and 0% fault of the victim. In answer to your question while I think all the reasons you listed apply. In my view most of the time it is a sadistic person honing in on a target they think won't or can't do anything about it their bullying. The bully may think because a person has no friends or is different he or she will not do anything about it.

I hope we did not scare away JennieH. We need to be careful not to overwhelm a new member. We all know how it feels to be scared and have no confidence. It can take a lot of time and energy to get the courage to post here the first time.

Hi Jennie --
I guess I was bullied, but my response to it seemed to "reverse the polarity" of the bullying (this was in 5th/6th grade, though; not sure what highschool would have been like, since I was homeschooled after that). The boys in class liked me 'cause I didn't sob along with all the other girls at the part of "Where the Red Fern Grows" where the male dog dies. Some of the girls would pinch my arms, and I'd keep my expression blank. I could feel it but it didn't hurt much, and that really annoyed them. They would tell me to eat weird objects and I had fun grossing them out.