@xzy45 @HebrideanHecate @Gnomeshatecheese I’m also of the opinion that the parents of the bullied child could do worse than to send her to a boxing club/ martial arts club for a term, then give her permission to punch the fuckers.
The parents must also be prepared to stand up to the school when they get arsey about self defence (which they will, because the teachers spend far too much time reading Guardian articles about restorative justice, aka, letting feral children run wild with no consequences).
My parents explained to me when I was young that the only language bullies truly understand is physical retaliation. But also to accept that you yourself may well get hurt in the process - the point is not necessarily to win the fight, but to inflict enough pain on them in the process that they decide you’re not worth the effort.
I am not a “turn the other cheek” kind of woman.