Being bullied at school has always been a horrifying experience, and in the age of smartphones today’s teenagers have to contend with a much larger scale of bulying.
High school student Bailey was forced to text her mother after she realised her classmates were making fun of the way she looked in a dress.
Somebody by the name of Dylan had taken a cruel snapchat photo of her legs, with the caption ‘Thicc’.
Understandably self conscious of her outfit, Bailey asked her mum to bring her a t shirt and jeans to wear instead, making a heartbreaking admission: ‘people are making fun of me and taking pictures of me and I wanna change.’
No parent expects or wants to receive such a message, and Bailey’s devoted mum promised to be there in just seven minutes. She made it in just five.
Bailey’s story has since gone viral, with many people sharing the nasty snapchat pic along with the text exchange between the mum and daughter.
With so many people having suffered bullying during their schooldays, this story really struck a chord.
Plenty of people admired the Bailey’s mum’s supportive response, describing her as being an ‘amazing mom’ and a ‘hero.’
Another said:
As a mom I just loved how her mom responded. The world is filled with all kinds of humans.
And the kind that do this type ish really need to be dealt with. Her text broke my heart.
Other people were sickened by the body shaming of such a young person, describing the bully who took the pic as ‘insensitive’ and ‘pathetic.’
One frustrated person observed:
People can be very cruel. If she wears baggy clothes it’ll be said ku she’s letting herself go.
She’s wearing a dress w an appropriate length & she’s treated unkindly!!!
GOD!
According to statistic from the NSPCC, over 16,000 children are absent from school because of bullying, with over 24,000 Childline counselling sessions with children due to bullying in 2016/17.
Bullying is a very serious issue, and can have a drastic effect on a person’s life; at any age.
According to StopBullying.gov:
Kids who are bullied can experience negative physical, school, and mental health issues. Kids who are bullied are more likely to experience:
1. Depression and anxiety, increased feelings of sadness and loneliness, changes in sleep and eating patterns, and loss of interest in activities they used to enjoy. These issues may persist into adulthood.
2. Health complaints.
3. Decreased academic achievement—GPA and standardized test scores—and school participation. They are more likely to miss, skip, or drop out of school.
Ryan told UNILAD the devastating effects bullying had on him at school:
[ooyala player_id=”5df2ff5a35d24237905833bd032cd5d8″ auto=”true” width=”1920″ height=”1080″ pcode=”twa2oyOnjiGwU8-cvdRQbrVTiR2l” code=”hzOWFlZDE6BBzs_hP0VeaspVu-QbqnM6″]
If any of the issues above have affected you, you can call Samaritans anytime, from any phone, free of charge on 116 123.
Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.