Episode Details

What happens when the bullying stops, but the impact doesn’t?

In this episode of Beyond Four Walls, Jodie is joined by Linda James MBE, Founder and CEO of BulliesOut, a charity dedicated to preventing bullying and supporting those affected by it.

For almost two decades, Linda has worked to raise awareness of bullying behaviour, educate children and adults, support those experiencing it and challenge the cultures that allow it to continue.

But this conversation is also a deeply personal one.

Jodie shares her own experience of being severely bullied at school – bullying that became so serious she was hospitalised – and reflects on the fact that the consequences of bullying don’t necessarily disappear when the behaviour stops.

Together, Jodie and Linda explore what bullying really looks like, why dismissing behaviour as “banter” can be so damaging and how bullying has evolved in a world where social media means there isn’t always the safety of going home and closing the front door.

They discuss the role of schools, parents, employers and bystanders; why we need to understand the behaviour of the person doing the bullying as well as support the person experiencing it; and what we can do to create environments where people feel safe enough to speak up.

The conversation also moves beyond childhood bullying to look at how similar behaviours can follow us into adult life and the workplace – through exclusion, intimidation, humiliation, manipulation and the misuse of power.

Most importantly, this isn’t simply a conversation about what bullying can do to someone.

It’s about what we can do about it.

In this episode:

• Why Linda founded BulliesOut and what has driven almost 20 years of anti-bullying work
 • What bullying actually is – and when “banter” crosses the line
 • The long-term impact of childhood bullying
 • Jodie’s personal experience of being bullied to the point of hospitalisation
 • Cyberbullying and why young people can now feel there is no escape
 • The importance of parents, schools and early intervention
 • Why bystanders have more power than they might realise
 • Understanding why somebody becomes a bully
 • Bullying, intimidation and exclusion in the workplace
 • How organisations can create cultures where people feel able to speak up
 • Rebuilding confidence and moving forward after bullying
 • How we can all play a part in challenging bullying behaviour

Whether you’ve experienced bullying yourself, watched someone you care about go through it, manage people in the workplace or simply want to understand how we can do better, this is an important conversation about the impact our behaviour can have on another human being.

Because the bullying may stop. But for the person on the receiving end, the effects can last much longer.

🎧 Beyond Four Walls with Jodie Fraser
🎙️ Guest: Linda James MBE – Founder & CEO, BulliesOut
📅 Released: 31 August 2026

Thank you so much for listening to Beyond Four Walls. If you’ve been inspired by today’s conversation and you’d like to share your own story, I’d love to hear from you. You can reach me directly at jodie@jodiefraser.com if you’d like to be a guest on the podcast.

I’d also like to say a special thank you to my podcast producer, Shirley Ludford, at Swindon 105.5 – Swindon’s award-winning community radio station. It’s run by an incredible team of volunteers who are passionate about giving a voice to the local community. You can find out more about the station at www.swindon1055.co.uk

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