Was you ever bullied and the adults say, 'You need to learn how to defend yourself instead of running to us'?

they'll be better off in the long run if they do. Bullies thrive on weakness and fear, making someone run away only boosts their ego. Nothing puts a bully in their place like publicly humiliating them, and yes, sometimes that requires a little violence... as for school aged bullies, most run away themselves if someone actually stands up to them...