'I went back to study in my mid 40s. I didn't expect to be bullied by my lecturer.'

As a business owner and mother, I have encountered my fair share of bullies.

In boardrooms, at the school gate, and on the sidelines of Saturday sports, you will always find people who belittle, intimidate, and threaten others to get what they want. I guess it makes them feel important to put others down.

When I can, I always choose to walk away.

Where I did not expect to find a bully was adults who taught at TAFE.

I was beyond excited to return to study in my 40s. Having not been in a classroom since I was 20, I looked forward to being energised and inspired to learn new skills.

Watch: Here's what to advise your kid on school bullies. Post continues below.

However, my lecturer is not the source of inspiration I hoped for. 

He motivates with the constant threat of failing students to get them to come to class or answer questions. Every week, he screams that we don't respect him, insists we are the worst class ever, tells students they will never finish and threatens to report students to 'management'. 

He does all of this whilst telling us what an incredible, brilliant lecturer he is. 

For six months, I did nothing. This wasn't a bully I could walk away from without giving up on the course. A handful of students quit to get away, and all power to them.

I told myself I could make it through the course unscathed if I put my head down, got the work done and stayed out of the firing line. The coursework wasn't challenging, so I didn't need his help. I just needed him to mark my work. Besides, of the students left in class, no one else wanted to risk upsetting him by calling out his behaviour.

Doing nothing seemed a good strategy.

But now, my mental and physical health is suffering. 

I feel like vomiting every time I walk into the classroom. My anxiety rises as I get told I am doing the wrong thing. I don't dare look at other students for fear of being asked if there is a problem.

I feel like a naughty school kid constantly in trouble. The final straw was when he wouldn't stop yelling at me.

One night the yelling was relentless. Despite my repeated, calm requests for him to stop yelling, he had, it appeared, a lot to be angry about. I had once again done the wrong thing. The wrong thing was precisely what he'd told me to do the week before. But I digress.

I was done. Not with the course. I was done with being bullied.

As I heard myself venting to my husband, I realised I would never sit back and watch my kids suffer this behaviour from a teacher. I would never tell them to 'suck it up' and ignore it. I would not let them be made to feel small, stupid and scared in class.

I would tell them to walk away and, if not, stand up to bullies.

With this in mind, I decided to take my advice and stand up to the bully.

I may only have a month to go on my course, but I realised I had to stand up for myself and the students yet to cross his path. If a teacher can make a 40-year-old feel small and scared, what happens when he teaches a 16-year-old kid? If 'the standard you walk past is the standard you accept', this standard was way too low.

So, what did I do?

To start with, I made TAFE aware of the situation. It took all my willpower to pick up the phone, worried they wouldn't believe me. To their credit, they have put a plan in place to support me, ensuring the teacher knows his behaviour is unacceptable.

I am also calling out every single behaviour in class that is belittling, offensive and inappropriate. Maybe it will frustrate him even more. Perhaps it will make him pause to think about his behaviour. Hopefully, it will show that students will not put up with being bullied.

What I know is that I am taking back my power and showing myself the self-respect I deserve.

The author of this story is known to Mamamia but has chosen to remain anonymous for privacy reasons.

If you think you may be experiencing depression or another mental health problem, please contact your general practitioner. If you're based in Australia, 24-hour support is available through Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyondblue on 1300 22 4636.

Feature Image: Getty.