Bashed, choked, tormented, bullying is “no joke”
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| Dylan Raven refuses to let bullies get in the way of his dreams. Picture: CONTRIBUTED |
By Laura Wakely
Dylan Raven was in Year 7 when he became a target for bullies to throw their erasers and pencils at. A year later, waiting in line for a class to start, a student grabbed Dylan Raven and rammed his head into a brick wall.
But the worst was yet to come.
One day his tormentors thought it would be funny to put a cable tie around Dylan’s throat and tighten it to the point where he couldn’t breathe. He began having panic attacks at the mere mention of the word ‘school’ and didn't get any support from teachers, who treated the incidents as “one big joke”.
The bullies also seemed to get a kick out of the attacks on Dylan.
“They thought it was funny to make someone feel not wanted, upset, scared, humiliated,” Dylan says. And the attacks weren't just restricted to the schoolyard.
“I am not a fan of online bullying; it’s happened to me quite a bit over the years,” Dylan says.
“ I've been told to “go kill yourself, do yourself a favor, do something good in your life” through Facebook, and text messaging.”
Now 16 years old, Dylan is glad he never listened to the taunts.
“I had many thoughts about committing suicide, but I am now thankful that I didn't because I would not be where I am today or even doing what I am right now – trying to make a difference. “It upsets me quite a bit to think of all the many young people who have or who are going through this, it is not an easy thing to get through, it takes time.”
Dylan wants schools, police and governments to band together in a nation-wide push to eradicate bullying.
Police spoke with the students responsible for the attacks, as well as their parents, but the warnings seemed to go “in one ear and out the other”.
Dylan has turned to Twitter to spread his anti-bullying message and support other young people who are bullied.
“Always remember you were brought into this world for a reason, and never forget that your family and friends will never stop loving you for who you are.
“If you have goals always try and achieve them, never give up, never put yourself down, because the day when you do reach your goals, you will feel extremely happy with yourself and if I can do it, anyone can.”
Dylan also has a message for the bullies.
“Just stop it, no one deserves to be bullied, at any place, any time or anywhere.
“It doesn’t matter what sort of personality people have, or what they look like, at the end of the day – we are all the same.”
Dylan is looking forward to the years ahead, when he achieves his goal of being a journalist.
“The people who have bullied me are going to stop and look at where I am and say to their selves ‘why did I bully him?’”
After all, success is the best revenge.
Join in Dylan’s campaign to Say No to Bullying on Twitter @Dylan_Raven.
You can also visit Headspace Australia for information and support at www.headspace.org.au
Have you been bullied? What tips do you have for victims?
Does the Australian Government, schools and police do enough to stamp out bullying?
Dylan Raven was in Year 7 when he became a target for bullies to throw their erasers and pencils at. A year later, waiting in line for a class to start, a student grabbed Dylan Raven and rammed his head into a brick wall.
But the worst was yet to come.
One day his tormentors thought it would be funny to put a cable tie around Dylan’s throat and tighten it to the point where he couldn’t breathe. He began having panic attacks at the mere mention of the word ‘school’ and didn't get any support from teachers, who treated the incidents as “one big joke”.
The bullies also seemed to get a kick out of the attacks on Dylan.
“They thought it was funny to make someone feel not wanted, upset, scared, humiliated,” Dylan says. And the attacks weren't just restricted to the schoolyard.
“I am not a fan of online bullying; it’s happened to me quite a bit over the years,” Dylan says.
“ I've been told to “go kill yourself, do yourself a favor, do something good in your life” through Facebook, and text messaging.”
Now 16 years old, Dylan is glad he never listened to the taunts.
“I had many thoughts about committing suicide, but I am now thankful that I didn't because I would not be where I am today or even doing what I am right now – trying to make a difference. “It upsets me quite a bit to think of all the many young people who have or who are going through this, it is not an easy thing to get through, it takes time.”
Dylan wants schools, police and governments to band together in a nation-wide push to eradicate bullying.
Police spoke with the students responsible for the attacks, as well as their parents, but the warnings seemed to go “in one ear and out the other”.
Dylan has turned to Twitter to spread his anti-bullying message and support other young people who are bullied.
“Always remember you were brought into this world for a reason, and never forget that your family and friends will never stop loving you for who you are.
“If you have goals always try and achieve them, never give up, never put yourself down, because the day when you do reach your goals, you will feel extremely happy with yourself and if I can do it, anyone can.”
Dylan also has a message for the bullies.
“Just stop it, no one deserves to be bullied, at any place, any time or anywhere.
“It doesn’t matter what sort of personality people have, or what they look like, at the end of the day – we are all the same.”
Dylan is looking forward to the years ahead, when he achieves his goal of being a journalist.
“The people who have bullied me are going to stop and look at where I am and say to their selves ‘why did I bully him?’”
After all, success is the best revenge.
Join in Dylan’s campaign to Say No to Bullying on Twitter @Dylan_Raven.
Laura Wakely is a Star News journalist reporting from Brimbank.
You can follow her on Twitter @LauraWakely
You can also visit her website here: http://laurawakely.com/
If you or someone you know is being bullied or needs to talk there is always someone who will listen. Contact Lifeline on 13 13 14 or the Kids Help Line on 1800 55 1800.
You can also visit Headspace Australia for information and support at www.headspace.org.au
Laura Wakely is a Star News journalist reporting from Brimbank.
You can follow her on Twitter @LauraWakely
Laura Wakely is a Star News journalist reporting from Brimbank.
You can follow her on Twitter @LauraWakely
You can also visit her website here: http://laurawakely.com/
Have you been bullied? What tips do you have for victims?
Does the Australian Government, schools and police do enough to stamp out bullying?
Teen bullying victim launches Twitter campaign
By Philippa Lees, Ninemsn
NSW teenager Dylan Raven was bullied so much in year eight he considered committing suicide. Now he is becoming a Twitter celebrity for speaking out against bullying.
Now in year 11, he is sharing his story on Twitter to help victims of bullying across the world.
Have you ever bullied someone or been bullied yourself? Let us know by sending an email to news.feedback@ninemsn.com.au "I've decided to create this and tell my story. My message will help people to speak out against bullying," he told Ninemsn.
"I started having suicidal thoughts. But I’m glad I didn’t do anything because then I wouldn’t be here to spread this message."
NSW teenager Dylan Raven was bullied so much in year eight he considered committing suicide. Now he is becoming a Twitter celebrity for speaking out against bullying.
Now in year 11, he is sharing his story on Twitter to help victims of bullying across the world.
Have you ever bullied someone or been bullied yourself? Let us know by sending an email to news.feedback@ninemsn.com.au "I've decided to create this and tell my story. My message will help people to speak out against bullying," he told Ninemsn.
"I started having suicidal thoughts. But I’m glad I didn’t do anything because then I wouldn’t be here to spread this message."
In the few weeks since he started sharing his story on Twitter, Dylan has received personal messages from people in France, US, New Zealand and Germany as well as national media attention.
"Someone on Twitter sent me a direct message saying you are the only reason I get out of bed in the morning," he told ninemsn.
"That is an amazing thing to hear."Dylan became a target for ridicule when he started high school in Broken Hill and says by year eight he was being tripped, choked and punched by his tormentors.
"It started with name calling and throwing pencil sharpeners, erasers, anything they could get their hands on," Dylan said.
"Then when I started year eight it turned into physical violence."
Despite escalating attacks, he said teachers, principals and even the Department of Education took no action. It wasn’t until his mother involved police that the bullies were confronted.
"Once in class some boys thought it would be funny to tie a cable around my neck until I couldn’t breathe. My friend had to cut it in half with scissors basically."
"Someone on Twitter sent me a direct message saying you are the only reason I get out of bed in the morning," he told ninemsn.
"That is an amazing thing to hear."Dylan became a target for ridicule when he started high school in Broken Hill and says by year eight he was being tripped, choked and punched by his tormentors.
"It started with name calling and throwing pencil sharpeners, erasers, anything they could get their hands on," Dylan said.
"Then when I started year eight it turned into physical violence."
Despite escalating attacks, he said teachers, principals and even the Department of Education took no action. It wasn’t until his mother involved police that the bullies were confronted.
"Once in class some boys thought it would be funny to tie a cable around my neck until I couldn’t breathe. My friend had to cut it in half with scissors basically."
"I took it to the casual teacher and told them what happened, and their response was to say I had done it myself," he said.
"I packed up my stuff and walked out of the classroom and I was so humiliated, everyone was laughing at me."
"I reported every incident to the deputy principal. I also kept a diary of every incident and when and where it happened."
"Eventually the police went round to their homes and spoke to the bullies. Their response was they thought it was very funny."
After accumulating hundreds of Twitter followers in just two weeks, he hopes to raise awareness for bullying and, in particular, those having suicidal thoughts.
"I decided to do this after hearing stories from so many teenagers and adults about bullying and heaps of people who had killed themselves."
He also wishes to connect with his tormentors.
"I packed up my stuff and walked out of the classroom and I was so humiliated, everyone was laughing at me."
"I reported every incident to the deputy principal. I also kept a diary of every incident and when and where it happened."
"Eventually the police went round to their homes and spoke to the bullies. Their response was they thought it was very funny."
After accumulating hundreds of Twitter followers in just two weeks, he hopes to raise awareness for bullying and, in particular, those having suicidal thoughts.
"I decided to do this after hearing stories from so many teenagers and adults about bullying and heaps of people who had killed themselves."
He also wishes to connect with his tormentors.
"The people who have bullied me are going to see where I am one day and ask themselves why they did it."
Join in Dylan’s campaign to Put a Stop to Bullying on Twitter @Dylan_Raven.
* Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
His efforts are already getting results.
“After some people at school saw what I was doing a few of them came up to me and said ‘I’m sorry for what you went through, I didn’t know but I do now’. They were really apologetic,” says Dylan. “And I received one message from a teen boy on Twitter – ‘you’re the only reason I get out of bed and go to school every day’.”
Since writing this post Dylan was today nominated for a Pride of Australia Child of Courage Award for his mission to stop bullies worldwide. You can read about his nomination in the Daily Telegraph. Congratulations Dylan, awesome work.
Join in Dylan’s campaign to Put a Stop to Bullying on Twitter @Dylan_Raven.
* Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
Philippa Lees is a journalist for Ninemsn, and the social media and web producer for A Current Affair, 60 Minutes and The Today Show.
You can follow her on Twitter @PhilippaLees
Australian teen takes to Twitter to
fight bullying
By Rachel Hynes
16-year-old Dylan Raven is working his way towards becoming a Twitter superstar. Not for personal fame and glory, like you might expect from a more typical Gen Z kid, but to draw attention to the issue of bullying.
Dylan has been bullied for more than four years. After an enjoyable and uneventful time at his primary school near the NSW/South Australia border, Dylan became the target of high school bullies from the start of year 7.
“It started with name calling and throwing pencil sharpeners, erasers, anything they could get their hands on,” says Dylan. “Then when I started year 8 it turned into physical violence.”
Dylan reports that one student grabbed him and rammed his head into a brick wall, resulting in bruises to his face, and another tied a cable around his throat and tightened it during class. The teacher had not witnessed this incident but Dylan showed him the cable, now in pieces because it had to be cut off when he had trouble breathing. Dylan says the teacher, who was a casual, did not believe his story. The 13-year-old left the room and went next door to his twin sister’s classroom – where he says her teacher told him to go away. He then went to the Principal’s office, who recorded Dylan’s complaint and said he would follow it up, but Dylan says he did not.
“One student grabbed Dylan and rammed his head into a brick wall, and another tied a cable around his throat and tightened it”
After a year and a half of torment, Dylan was suffering anxiety attacks, was scared to go to school and had contemplated suicide. His psychologist recommended he not return until he was feeling better. Dylan completed just two terms out of four in year 8. He was still planning on returning to the same school in year 9, when he found that one of the bullies had thrown another student into a wall. “I thought, I’m not going back there,” says Dylan. “I don’t want that happening to me.”
Dylan and his twin sister Shelby moved to the other local high school together, at the start of year 9. Shelby has never been bullied, and she always stuck up for Dylan. He says the bullies never did anything when she was around.
Dylan and Shelby both settled well into their new school. Dylan says he still gets bullied but he doesn’t feel the same physical threat.
“If I’m walking down stairs people will try to trip my legs and make me fall down the stairs, or if I’m walking with my folder they’ll try to pull it out of my arms and send my papers flying everywhere. But I feel a lot safer at my new school.”
Dylan was spurred to action not just out of his own experiences, but because he’d read about so many kids and adults who had committed suicide as a result of being bullied. The clincher was a story in the US about a bullied teenager who had been fatally hanged on the back of a school toilet door by his tormentors.
“I wanted to try and get the message out to say no to bullying, and I am trying to get people to speak up if they are being bullied and not sit back and be quiet about it,” Dylan says, explaining his motivation to start a Twitter campaign.
Dylan set up his account @Dylan_Raven on 25 March, and tweets with the hashtag #saynotobullying. So far he has attracted the attention of Channel 9, and has had an interview with reporter Ben Fordham on Sydney talkback radio station 2GB. His goal is to collect 1,000 followers before his 17th birthday on 31 July this year.
His efforts are already getting results.
“After some people at school saw what I was doing a few of them came up to me and said ‘I’m sorry for what you went through, I didn’t know but I do now’. They were really apologetic,” says Dylan. “And I received one message from a teen boy on Twitter – ‘you’re the only reason I get out of bed and go to school every day’.”
“I received one message from a teen boy on Twitter – ‘you’re the only reason I get out of bed and go to school every day’”
Dylan is looking forward to these school holidays and having the odd dinner out with his friends, including one girl, an old friend who has been away at boarding school. He doesn’t play sport, but he walks for an hour each morning and evening with his singing teacher and her mother. He uses the computer, mostly for Twitter and for catching up with news – “I’ve wanted to be a journalist since I was about 5 or 6 years old,” he says. “I’m hoping to get accepted into one of the unis in Adelaide because my aunty and uncle both studied journalism at Adelaide.”
His parents, family and friends are very proud, and his current school Principal is very supportive.
“I’m so overwhelmed because I wasn’t expecting how successful it would be,” says Dylan. “It makes me feel really happy knowing that I’m doing something about bullying.”
Dylan’s message for bullied kids:
My goal is to raise awareness about bullying, to get people to say no to bullying, and to encourage victims to speak out. If your school isn’t willing to help, then please take the issue to the Department of Education and/or the police.
Why we need to Say No To Bullying: an interview with Dylan
The Kids Are All Right is an Australian website and forum for parents of teenagers. You can follow them on Twitter @_kidsallright
Why we need to Say No To Bullying: an interview with Dylan
The thought of one of our children being bullied, either verbally, physically or covertly, is something that will always remain one of the greatest concerns for any parent. One boy that was bullied to almost breaking point was Dylan Raven. But Dylan has refused to let his bullies destroy his life and instead set about campaigning to put an end to the devastation that threatens to ruin the lives of so many. I heard about Dylans work to stop bullying online and approached him to answer some questions to help both ourselves as parents understand the role we must play and our children too, get a better perspective of how damaging bullying can be. Dylan is 16 now and studying year 11. You can find him on Facebook at Facebook.com/sn2bullying and follow him on Twitter @Dylan_Raven.
Could you give us a little background on what you have endured at the hands of bullies in the past and more recently?
I was firstly bullied when I started year 7 back in 2008. I had pencils, erasers, sharpeners, scissors and rulers thrown at me. By the end of year 7 after I began year 8 the bullying worsened and that is when it turned more physical and violent.
I was choked whilst standing in the canteen line, had my head rammed into a brick wall while waiting in my class line for the teacher, one science lesson I had a cable tie put around my throat, which was then tightened to the point where I couldn’t breathe. My normal teacher had been away that day, so my science class had a casual. At the time when I had the cable tie put around my throat, the teacher had their back to us as they were writing on the board. Their response was “I didn’t see it, you must have done it yourself to get them into trouble” At this stage I was so frustrated; I just walked out of the classroom because everyone was laughing at me.
Do you have any idea as to why you were singled out to be bullied?
A few reasons which I believe I was targeted; They were trying to show off in front of their friends, peer pressuring each other to bully me and to make themselves look good in front of everyone who witnessed the incidents.
Did you divulge your experiences to your parents straight away?
No, I didn’t tell them straight away, mainly because I was too scared or I didn’t know how or what to say. The day my family found out was because, my cousin who is a nurse took me to the hospital for some tests and the doctor put me on a heart rate monitor and spoke about school. After a few seconds of her mentioning the word school, my heart rate started climbing and I had a panic attack, which took me a while to recover from.
How did your parents react?
My parents were shocked to hear about what had been happening, the reason being because they had no idea this was going on at school and also how I had been feeling (depressed, having anxiety/panic attacks)
Why do you think you have been able to take a stand against bullies?
After seeing so many heartbreaking articles about kids, teenagers and adults taking their own life due to being bullied either at home, at school or in the work place. One article which I read and what motivated me the most; over in America, a year 7 boy was going to the toilets at his school and two year 10 boys were waiting in one of the toilet blocks. As soon as the young boy walked in, they grabbed him and hung him on the back of a toilet door hook, which killed him. This had made me realize that bullies cannot get away with it anymore, someone needs to be a voice for these innocent victims and stand up.
What advice would you have for kids that are being bullied today?
Always remember you were brought into this world for a reason, and never forget that your family and friends will never stop loving you for who you are. If you have goals always try and achieve them, never give up, never let anyone put you down, because the day when you do finally reach your goals, you will feel extremely happy with yourself and if I can do it, anyone can.
What about those that have bullied you, and are bullying others today? What would you say to them if given the chance?
Just stop it; no one deserves to be bullied, at any place, any time or anywhere.
It doesn’t matter what sort of personality anyone has, or what we all look like, at the end of the day – we are all the same. You don’t know if you’re taking someone’s life into your own hands.
To those that have bullied me, nothing can ever be taken back with what you done to me. You all made me suffer, almost every single day. How can you live with yourself?
If a parent feels their child may be getting bullied, what advice would you give them in terms of ways to help them get their kids to open up?
Advice which I would give parents if their child may be getting bullied;
Develop a climate in your home that encourages discussion, that way it can make it easier for the child to open up to them.
When their kids arrive home from school or get in the car, ask them “How was your day” or “Did anything happen at school today” Let them know that you will support them, help them deal with it.
What do you want to see happen in society in order to Say No to Bullying?
I want schools, police and governments to band together in a nation-wide push to eradicate bullying.
Tougher laws/punishments for severe cases of bullying.
Visits to schools by the police to talk about bullying, as it seems to be worsening as time goes on.
Thankyou so much Dylan for your honesty and bravery. I know that just by talking and encouraging discussion amongst families, we can only hope to highlight the signs of those being bullied, those doing the bullying and recognise the damage that ongoing bullying can cause. As parents it is our role to talk to our kids about what is acceptable and what is not. And as Dylan says, keep those lines of communication open. Continue to connect and demand that your children respect those around them, their peers and most importantly, themselves.
Since writing this post Dylan was today nominated for a Pride of Australia Child of Courage Award for his mission to stop bullies worldwide. You can read about his nomination in the Daily Telegraph. Congratulations Dylan, awesome work.
Have your kids experienced bullying? How did you handle it and did you see the signs?
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