Deaf and bullied: Peter's story

“The bullies would call me all kinds of hurtful names. They’d make out I was stupid because I was deaf. In primary school, sometimes, they’d kick me or hit me as well, and do actions like a stupid person and say that’s what I was like. It wasn’t just the kids, it was adults too sometimes.” Peter is deaf. This was his experience of school in his own words.

The cycle of bullying Peter got caught in at school made him feel isolated and he struggled to make friends. Initially, he reacted by getting into trouble, sometimes lashing out and getting angry with others. Peter struggled in class too. He felt that he could not rely on his sign language interpreters in the classroom and he was worried about asking for clarifications because he did not want to disrupt the class. He was told that there were many things he could not do because he was deaf, this and the bullying badly affected his self confidence and he believed that he was inferior.

It was not until he was older that Peter found some help. “When I was 16, I came to the NSPCC Young People’s Centre and there was a deaf worker who really helped me. I had one-to-one sessions and joined in group activities at the centre. The NSPCC really treated my heart and helped me see that all the bullying was not my fault. They helped me take control, and become less angry about how I was being treated. The workers at the NSPCC Centre saw things through by ensuring that action was taken to lessen the bullying at school. The school took the bullying seriously and I felt I could report any further instances and something would be done about it. I also had a safe place to go in the school when I felt overwhelmed.”

People around Peter see how much he has changed. He now feels more confident in the hearing world as well as the deaf world. He feels equal to hearing people and is much more positive that there are opportunities and possibilities, which he felt didn’t exist when he was younger.

If you are an adult concerned about a deaf child read the NSPCC’s advice; if you are concerned about a child’s welfare, contact the NSPCC Helpline.

Further reading

Protecting deaf and disabled childrenHelpline services for deaf and hard-of-hearing people