Anti-Bullying and Its Importance in our Community
You never know how much your words may hurt someone else.
Something that takes you 5 minutes to say – online, in person, behind their back – can stay on another’s mind for a long time, ultimately impacting their self-esteem. Bullying pressures others to live in an environment where they feel uncomfortable speaking their own opinions.
Bullying is repeated, aggressive behavior intended to hurt another person physically or mentally and with the purpose of being targeted.
The Main Problem with Bullying:
Imagine being ‘friends’ with so-and-so, so they believe they can say mean things, things that make you stay up all night, all while the bully has no clue how deeply it affects you. And the bully doesn’t know/care because they believe that everything is just a joke. Imagine walking up to your ‘friend’ and telling them that they are being mean, but then the bully would say that you were being ‘so serious’ and brush you off. You then return home and worry about being bullied further or worse, being weak. The victim would feel like they are escalating such a minor situation that shouldn’t matter so much.
The truth is that victims should not believe bullies that everything is just a joke, feeling guilty for advocating for themselves. Bullying fosters the social pressure against being anything different from the norm. There is something wrong in our community where people believe you are ‘tattling’ on others and the problem is that I hear that way too often in school.
Getting help or advocating for yourself can help you thrive. When I was younger, my parents said that they felt uncomfortable when people would look down subtly on our financial status, our cars, or the fact that we are Asian. As a result, my parents moved our family to a different school, which allowed me to grow into the proud person I am today. Similarly, if you speak up, it will help our communities listen to opinions.
Toxic Relationships:
Furthermore, no one is your friend if they do not respect your opinions. Bullying can often appear in toxic relationships - think fat shaming in families, belittling, and mocking. Because you know them, it may make you feel like it is okay or that this is just how it should be. This is not true at all. It is time you seek help -
Recognize how it makes you feel
Establish boundaries
Seek help from organizations such as National Domestic Violence Helpline
In fact, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 80.9% of adolescents report facing victimization within a friendship. This includes relational bullying (76.1%), controlling behavior (49%), and physical or verbal hostility (46.8%).
Cyberbullying:
Did you know? Approximately 16% of high schoolers report being electronically bullied through text messages or social media. According to long-term data tracking from the PACER Center, lifetime cyberbullying exposure reported by youth has risen to 58.2%.
With the rise of technology, people find it easy to say dumb and hurtful things online. What bullies fail to understand is that their online profile is basically them in person speaking. What you are not willing to say in person, do not say online. Although it may seem so, being online does not mean you are anonymous and bullies need to understand that there is a person on the receiving end of the hurtful messages.
Being Passive
It takes immense courage to stand up to someone bullying you, but so does standing up for someone else. If we all fight this passivity, we can make sure less people are hurt.
You can:
talk to your school about creating a concern form for students
brainstorm ideas to teach people to have the courage to stand up
Stand up for others
Effects:
According to StopBullying.gov, 11.5 times more likely to report suicidal ideation, while those experiencing verbal bullying are 8.4 times more likely.
Bullying causes hundreds of students to avoid school and drop out.
Stats:
1 in 4 students report being bullied during the school year (National Center for Education Statistics)
64% of victims won’t report bullying
90% of students who are bullied offline are bullied online
Looks, body shape, and race are the most common reasons for bullying.
According to www.raymondgeddes.com
Students who are bullied are twice as likely to suffer from anxiety, depression, and other health issues.
Students who are bullied are more likely to report high levels of suicide-related behavior
Students that bully are at greater risk for academic problems, substance use, and violent behavior, both now and later in life.
According to PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center, schools with bully prevention programs can reduce bullying by 25%
If you are being bullied, it is time to have courage and ask for help. Everyone should be able to help by standing up for victims. Together, we can be stronger. We believe in you!
From Broken to Bold: My Journey Beyond Bullying | Tyneele Roberts | TEDxSt Marys College Youth
Written By: Jenny from Youth Advisory Board
