The time I was published in Mizz magazine!

The time I was published in Mizz magazine!

When I was a kid I was always bullied very badly, to the point of being physically beaten.

In 1999, I wrote about the worst instance of this and sent it to the British teen magazine Mizz, they went on to publish it and I got £50 for being published!

I've scanned the magazine in and typed up the article below for easier reading (tw: physical assault and bullying)

image-1485013358701.jpg

"They beat me up for being ginger"

Amy, 14, from West Sussex, got verbal bullying about her red hair. But then it got physical...

"People have always picked on me because of my hair colour. Being a redhead makes me an easy target. You know the kind of thing - strangers shouting, 'Hey, Carrothead', or, "Oi, Ginger', at me when I'm just trying to get on with me life. Maybe you're a redhead too, and know what it's like to be shouted at.

You might think the odd rude comment doesn't matter. It does. I want people to understand what it feel like to be picked on just 'cos your hair colour isn't as common as everyone else's. Who wants to be common anyway? When I first went to primary school one girl singled me out and said nasty things about my hair. Then she persuaded my so-called best from to join in. It upset me a lot and I tried to tell the teacher but she didn't seem to understand.

Over the years I'd gotten used to the rude comment - I've heard all the nasty words and jokes about redheads. Usually I ignore or say casually, 'Do you have to point out the obvious?' One good thing is that I've never hated my hair colour or wanted to change it, I just hate the people who pick on me.

By far the nastiest incident happened just recently. I was down the park with my 11-year-old brother Phillip and my cousin Harriet, who is 14. There was a group of girls there and one boy. I vaguely recognised them from school.

One of the girls yelled, 'Go back to Carrotland, Ginger.' Normally I ignore this kind of stupid remark, but I was annoyed and shouted back. So the girls ran towards us. We walked away, but they followed and jumped on us, pulling my hair and making rude comments. The boy shouted at my brother and shook him too.

We were all really frightened. I told my cousin to run and get help, then I turned to run away but my glasses fell off. One of the girls grabbed them and punched me in the stomach. I doubled over in pain. The girl chucked my glasses to someone else, who then threw my glasses on the floor.

My brother had rushed into the bushes to hide. I grabbed my glasses, pulled him out and we ran out of the park. By the time we got home we were really shaken up and frightened. I realise now that we should have told someone, but we put it down to experience and tried to forget about it.

I did see the girls around school a couple of times. They just yelled something rude about my hair and walked off. A few weeks later I was walking home from school when the girls came up beside me. One of them was on a bike. I was very scared because this time I was on my own.

They pulled my hair again. I ran down an alley, hoping they'd leave me alone, but the one on the bike took a short cut and stood waiting for me at the other end. I was trapped! The girls taunted me about me hair, and threw my glasses over a wall into someone's garden. I realised I had to get home, fast and could come back later to get my glasses. So I ran straight through the middle of the girls.

They grabbed my hair and pulled me back. I fell over and cut my knee. By then I was so scared that I screamed for help as loudly as I could. At last the girls ran off. I ran home, crying.

Mum called the police. They came round that night at 9pm and I told them the whole story. It was a relief to pour it all out and the police were very understanding. My stepdad went and got my glasses back for me.

I know the police went round to the bullies houses to speak to their parents. And eventually I think the ringleader was suspended from school. I saw her around the corridors a couple of times after that, but she didn't even look at me. I was worried in case the girls came after me for revenge at being punished, but luckily they didn't.

My teachers and friends were very supportive, but for weeks I left home 10 minutes earlier for school, walking a different rout. I also dashed out of school quickly at home time. It was still very stressful.

Of course, the girls didn't dare come near me after I reported them. It just proves that if you are being picked on you should always tell someone - a teacher, a parent, anyone who can help. Bullies are only powerful if you keep their secret. And as for any bullies reading this - what exactly are you achieving? Making someone miserable? Wow. What great people you must be then. Quit now before you find out the hard way that bullies get punished.

And if you've got red hair, be proud! I am.