Alexander Libreri: Wants to set up what he would call the Action Group Against Bullying. Photo: Matthew MirabelliAlexander Libreri: Wants to set up what he would call the Action Group Against Bullying. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

A man who has experienced bullying throughout his life has finally put his foot down and decided to help others take a stand.

Alexander Libreri, 60, is seeking support to set up a voluntary group that would help victims put a stop to the abuse.

“We hold seminars and give speeches about bullying among adults but this is just lip service and concrete action is rarely taken,” Mr Libreri told this newspaper.

“To make matters worse, when someone builds up enough courage to speak to the authorities, they find closed doors and are asked to forgive the perpetrator.”

So Mr Libreri, who already does voluntary work, including youth support, is now proposing the setting up of what he would call the Action Group Against Bullying, which would work alongside legal and medical professionals, NGOs and the authorities in an effort to curb this sort of harassment.

Mr Libreri certainly knows what it feels like to be harassed. He was bullied in school and later in life, at the workplace, he experienced months of constant bullying without being given any backing from those who should have taken action on his complaints.

This led him to opt for early retirement after 24 years at a workplace where he was attacked verbally and told that sweeping was all he was good at.

“I was in charge of security, but how can you exercise any authority when you are made a fool of in front of those whom you should discipline?”

I want to drive the message home that abuse is not part of life and it cannot be tolerated no matter who does it, whether a student or a politician

After he complained to management, and some action was taken, the bullying only increased and he started receiving threats that he would be harmed.

“The stress wore me out physically and I never took as much sick leave as I did during the last months at work. I’m not a weak person, but when people keep knocking you down, you break down.”

Mr Libreri suffered symptoms of depression and anxiety, which although treated, left behind a trail of bad memories.

“Bullying is not like a bruise on your leg that heals with time, but a knock on the head that leaves a scar,” he said.

He also took his case to the authorities but they suggested that he would come to terms with himself if he forgave.

“While there is space for forgiveness, justice needs to be done. We cannot continue to tolerate bullying as an inevitable part of life.

“I want to drive the message home that abuse is not part of life, it’s not inevitable and it cannot be tolerated no matter who does it, whether a student or a politician.”

Mr Libreri’s heart goes out to everyone who had a similar experience, and now that he is retired, he wants to use his time to fight bullying. He is therefore calling on anyone who has experienced bullying to join him and call for action in a bid to eradicate the abuse.

“The problem is that many are scared to speak up as they look weak, but bullying could happen to anyone. I was myself told to build up my character.

“I’m not afraid to speak up since I’m not hurting anyone. We need to join forces and move on from lip service.”

He knows it will not be easy to set up the group but Mr Libreri is already planning a peaceful awareness campaign on weekends at various localities. He also hopes to “flood” newsrooms with experiences so they too would be able to raise awareness.

Those who would like to get in touch with Mr Libreri can send him an e-mail at librerial@onvol.net.

Tips for youngsters

Victim Support Malta, an NGO which provides support to victims of crime, carries this advice on its website for children who are bullied at school:

Look the bully in the eye and tell them to stop. Say No to what they want from the start.

Stand tall and walk away before things get worse.

Tell an adult you trust, for example a teacher or a parent. You are not alone.

Tell your real friends. Friends are people who make us feel good about ourselves.

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