The best way to reduce bullying is to make yourself a less likely target — and that starts with building awareness, confidence, and clear boundaries.
Tips to develop mental strength and awareness:
Stay alert to your surroundings: Notice when people’s behavior changes or when situations feel unsafe. Trust your instincts.
Practice clear body language: Stand tall, keep your shoulders back, and make eye contact. Bullies often target those who look unsure or scared.
Use your voice confidently: Saying things like “Stop!” or “Leave me alone!” in a firm, calm voice can deter bullies before things escalate.
Choose your company wisely: Surround yourself with friends who support and protect you. Bullies are less likely to target someone who has a strong social circle.
Set personal boundaries: Be clear about what behavior you will not accept. Don’t be afraid to walk away or seek help if someone crosses those lines.
Practice self-care: Taking care of your mental and physical health builds resilience, making it easier to handle difficult situations.
Preventing bullying is a community effort:
Schools, parents, and students should work together to promote respect, kindness, and clear anti-bullying policies.
Everyone should know how to recognize bullying and take action early.
By building these skills and attitudes, you not only protect yourself but help create a safer, more supportive environment for everyone.
Defending yourself physically is important, but what you do after the incident can have a huge impact on your safety and school environment. Reporting the bullying is not just about punishment; it’s about protecting yourself and helping create a safer space for everyone.
How to report properly:
Be factual: Clearly describe what happened — what the bully said, their threatening behavior, and what you did in response. Stick to the facts without exaggeration.
Explain your intent: Make it clear you acted only to protect yourself and create an opportunity to escape, not to harm or retaliate.
Gather witnesses: If friends, classmates, or bystanders saw the event, ask them to share what they saw. Their support strengthens your case.
Report promptly: Don’t wait too long; tell a trusted adult such as a teacher, counselor, or school administrator as soon as possible.
Why reporting matters:
It helps the school take action to stop the bully and prevent future incidents.
It protects you from being blamed or punished unfairly for defending yourself.
It sends a message that bullying is not acceptable and won’t be tolerated.
It creates a record in case the situation escalates or legal action is needed.
Remember: Reporting is a sign of strength, not weakness.
You’ve likely heard that the best way to handle bullying is to either block the attack or just walk away. While these are common pieces of advice, they often don’t work well in real situations — and can sometimes put you at greater risk.
Why “just block” isn’t always safe:
Blocking means you wait for the bully to hit first, giving them control over the fight’s pace.
It’s reactive, not proactive — you’re responding to the bully’s moves instead of preventing them.
Bullies may see blocking as a challenge, encouraging them to test your defenses repeatedly.
This can escalate the bullying rather than stop it.
Why “just walk away” doesn’t always work:
Walking away requires space and time to get away, which might not be available if the bully blocks your path.
Some bullies intentionally trap their targets in confined spaces like hallways or stairwells.
Walking away might be impossible if there are no adults nearby or if the bully follows you.
A better approach:
Urban Street Defense teaches that your best chance is to act before the bully lands the first blow. By striking first in a controlled, safe manner, you disrupt their attack and gain precious seconds to escape. This approach puts you in control and reduces the chance of being hurt or trapped.
It’s normal to feel uncertain or scared about fighting back. Many worry that hitting someone first might get them in trouble or escalate the situation. However, self-defense is about protecting yourself when there’s a real threat — and it’s both morally and legally supported when done properly.
What the law says in Malaysia:
According to Section 96 of the Penal Code, you have the right to defend yourself if:
You have a reasonable belief that an attack is about to happen.
Your actions are proportional to the threat (you don’t use excessive force).
You stop defending yourself once you are safe.
This means you don’t have to wait to be hurt first before you act. Striking first, but carefully and only to protect yourself, is justified.
Why striking first can be safer:
Disrupts the bully’s momentum: A quick strike can throw off their balance or focus, making it harder for them to continue.
Creates shock and hesitation: Bullies usually expect victims to back down or block, so striking first can surprise them and make them think twice.
Buys time to escape: Even a couple of seconds can be the difference between getting away safely or being caught in a fight.
Where to strike safely: Aim for areas that cause pain but won’t cause lasting harm. Visit our class to know more about this.
The goal is to stop the attack quickly, not to hurt the bully badly.
Bullying doesn’t always stay just verbal or social—it sometimes crosses the line into physical actions that can hurt you. This kind of bullying includes behaviors like being shoved, tripped, slapped, or cornered aggressively. Recognizing when teasing or intimidation turns into physical danger is critical because it gives you a chance to act before things get worse.
How to recognize when bullying is turning physical:
Rapid approach: The bully suddenly closes the distance between you quickly, invading your personal space and leaving little room to react.
Aggressive tone: The bully’s voice becomes louder, sharp, or filled with anger and threats.
Threatening gestures: Clenched fists, sudden arm swings, or threatening body language signal a possible attack.
Blocked escape routes: If the bully stands in front of you or corners you in a hallway or classroom, they may be trying to trap you.
These warning signs are your “red flags” that physical harm could be imminent. Waiting too long or hoping the bully will stop on their own might leave you vulnerable. Your goal in these moments is to protect yourself and get out of harm’s way safely.
Options when you spot these signs:
Try to create distance immediately.
Use your voice firmly to say things like, “Back off!” or “Stop!” to draw attention.
Prepare your body to defend yourself if necessary (more on this in later parts).
Look for a safe route to escape and get help from adults or peers nearby.
Recently, the nation has been shaken by heartbreaking news about school bullying following the tragic death of Form 1 student Zara Qairina Mahathir. Her story has brought to light the harsh realities many students face behind school walls and realities that go far beyond mere teasing or childish disputes. It serves as a painful reminder that bullying is not just an unfortunate part of growing up, but a serious issue that threatens the safety, dignity, and even the lives of young people.
Bullying in schools is not just a matter of hurt feelings — for many students, it’s a daily threat to their safety, dignity, and mental well-being. While schools often promote the idea of “walk away and tell a teacher,” the reality is far more complex. What happens when walking away isn’t possible? What if the bully doesn’t stop?
In this upcoming 6-part series, I’ll be breaking down the hard truths about school bullying, your right to self-defense, and how to handle situations before, during, and after they happen. Here’s what you can expect:
Part 1 – The 4 Types of Bullying Before we dive into physical confrontations, we’ll identify the four main forms of bullying — physical, verbal, social, and cyber — and how each can impact a student’s safety and well-being.
Part 2 – When Bullying Gets Physical We’ll talk about how to recognize when teasing or intimidation has crossed the line into physical danger — and what your options are in that critical moment.
Part 3 – The Right to Strike as Defense We’ll explore when it is legally and morally justified to use force, and why “strike first if necessary” can sometimes be the safest choice — while avoiding unnecessary escalation.
Part 4 – Why Traditional “Just Block or Walk Away” Advice Often Fails We’ll break down why common school safety advice doesn’t always work in real-life bullying situations, and how to prepare for scenarios where those methods fall short.
Part 5 – Reporting After an Incident We’ll cover the right way to document and report what happened, how to protect yourself from retaliation, and why the aftermath matters as much as the incident itself.
Part 6 – Building Awareness, Confidence, and Prevention Against Future Targeting We’ll focus on developing mental strength, situational awareness, and personal boundaries so you’re less likely to be targeted in the first place.
Whether you’re a student, parent, or educator, this series aims to give you a realistic, balanced, and responsible view of self-defense in a school setting — because safety should never be left to chance.
