This is my experience of being bullied and how it can affect your life. This is for people who have been bullied in the past and may recognise aspects of my experience – and those who may be bullied in the future.
In 2010 I was working for a government agency by which I had been employed for 10 years. It is based in a small English seaside town and is part of a large government department. I am a single woman with an adult son. I enjoyed a social life and dated but was not in a long term relationship. I went out 3 times with a man I had known casually for about 2 years. He ended the relationship which I accepted without any difficulty as I had begun to hear rumours of lies of a sexual nature that he had been spreading about me. I had asked him on several occasions not to talk about me as I am very private. As soon as he had ended the relationship he wanted to resume it, but I had by now realised he had truthfulness issues so was not interested. With hindsight I could have handled this better with him but I was very upset at the lies. He had previously told me he suffered from depression and he seemed to be an attention-seeker. He then began a 5 year hate campaign, spreading rumours about me, which continues to this day.