Imagine sitting in that corner, alone. Being teased everyday just for being yourself. Feeling alone because of your background, hair colour, your sexual orientation or even just the way you talk. Imagine being that boy getting beaten up and having to walk home with bruises on your face. That feeling that nobody will stand up for you, alone. Knowing that tomorrow will be another day of torment. Alone. This is what so many girls go through in their entire lives, it may be physical, verbal or sneaky. Whatever it is, the victim is left alone. Would you like to be neglected and mis treated? Nobody likes to be left alone.

Coming from a girl’s point of view, the form of bullying most heard of is in-direct. Have you ever been called a b**** behind your back? Have you ever found out that it was your so called “best friend”? It can be hard to believe but more often than not, the person you thought you could trust is the one person who can turn around and stab you in the back. I’m not saying that your best friend is out to get you but think about it. Have you ever said something to annoy someone else and an angry Facebook post has been the result? That one insult could turn into a full on war with your former allies. Then, all of a sudden. Your whole world has been flipped on it’s head. Your friends hate you. You’re excluded. You can hear the whispering behind your back as you walk by. *pause* Suddenly, it feels like everyone disregards who you are as a person. For many, this is only a phase and tomorrow, everyone is friends again. But for others, well, it’s not quite the same.

One in 3 teenagers are regularly cyber-bullied, if you thought Facebook was a great way to meet up with old friends. Think again. Yes, you can meet people but you can also be tricked and deceived into the mindless trap of the cyber-bully. There are so many girls out there who are continuously called horrible names online. Take Amanda Todd for example, she was cyber-bullied for months until taking her own life was the only option. To this day, there are still horrible people out there who are posting comments saying that it was a good thing that she’s dead. Do you want to be that girl in the corner, realizing that there is nobody out there to tell you it’s going to be okay? Do you want to be that girl who is in such a state that she actually considers ending her life?

Many believe that physical abuse is the worst to endure. This is completely false. When somebody gets beaten up, the scars and bruises are left for the public to see. When somebody is verbally or secretly bullied, the scars are internal. They can quickly become part of the internal voice influencing daily life. Verbal abuse is what strikes the heart with such ferocity that often, it can not be closed. I can say with complete conviction that one nasty comment can scrape even the most strong exteriors. Slowly, with more and more chipping away at the hard exterior of most confident person you will find an frightened child just wishing that everything would stop. Imagine the little child who, when she doesn’t want to hear what is being said, just covers her ears and runs away. Or imagine the child playing peek a boo, who believes that if he can’t see you. You can’t see him. That is what the inside of a fragile teenager would look like. The only problem with that is, nobody but the victim can see that child inside. And, unless help is sort after, that child will never be found. Without professional help, the future could turn out bleaker then it already seems.

Find somebody to tell you it’s going to be okay. Be it a friend, loved one or mentor. Life has it’s twists and turns. Life teaches us how to live. Your life matters. Talk to someone. Someone is always there to help. Reach out.