Tigers' star Jack Riewoldt tackles bullyingLucie van den Berg
From:Herald Sun
April 21, 2012HE STANDS almost 2m, so it is hard to believe anyone would mess with Jack Riewoldt, but even the hardened footballer has been a target for bullies.
Now the Tigers sharpshooter is taking a stand against bullying and urging all Australians to follow.
He also warned that cyber bullying was one of the biggest threats to children.
"I have been bullied, but not to the extent that other kids have," Riewoldt said.
"I think every kid who has gone through school has unfortunately been on both sides of the fence - as a bully and being bullied."
Riewoldt is the official ambassador for the Alannah and Madeline Foundation, which aims to keep children safe from violence.
He wants bullying to be stamped out.
"We go to a lot of schools for junior clinics and it's something that a lot of our players see," he said.
"If we see kids misbehaving or acting badly towards another kid, then we will pull them out and deal with it.
"We need people to stand up and say, 'You shouldn't be bullying that kid' or, 'I am being bullied, I need help'."
Riewoldt said the issue was complicated because some children used bullying to deal with difficulties at home.
"It definitely exists in the community and unfortunately there are people who can't see past it," he said.
"The introduction on the internet of Twitter and Facebook in terms of cyber bullying is something that young adults and kids are having to deal with, because they are in these environments - that's the biggest issue going forward."
Riewoldt said he was one of three boys in a family with strong values.
"We were brought up very strongly against teasing and bullying," he said.
Richmond has announced the foundation will be its preferred charity partner for the next three years, a decision Riewoldt says carries extra significance for him because he is a Tasmanian.
It was formed after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre in which sisters Alannah and Madeline Mikac, aged six and three, were among the 35 people killed.
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