Bullying

Receiving malicious calls or unpleasant texts or pictures can be very upsetting, especially when your child has to face the bully in school or on the street. 'Happy slapping', a form of bullying where mobiles are used illegally to video and distribute footage of physical assaults, has received much media attention.

Tips on keeping your child safe

Advise your children:

  • To only give their number to family and friends they know well and trust
  • Not to be persuaded by anyone to confide very personal information about themselves or to do anything which they would be ashamed or embarrassed by if it was later revealed through a mobile phone
  • To think very carefully before sending any pictures and video clips of themselves - these are easy to change and could end up in the wrong hands
  • Not to reply to text or picture messages that they don't want to receive - the best way to deal with bullying is not to react
  • Not to leave their name on their voicemail as this confirms to any callers that it's their mobile
  • To tell someone they trust if anyone uses a camera phone in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable
  • Not to leave their mobile unattended
  • That if they want to talk to someone in confidence online, to go to www.there4me.com where they can chat to a counsellor about problems. They can also call the NSPCC's ChildLine service on 08001111

How to deal with bullying

What to do if your child is bullied by phone:

  • Involve the school. If the bullying is serious or involves offensive content, then get the police involved as well
  • If the bullying doesn't stop then change their phone number. If you're a pay monthly customer - call our Customer Service team on 150 and we'll do the rest
  • Don't delete nasty messages - you may need to show them to teachers or the police

Further information

Here are a few organisations that offer advice on dealing with bullying:

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