bully facts

Bullying Stories

Bullying stories can be found everywhere. Just about every person has experienced bullying in some form or another and has bullying stories to share. Many share their bullying stories in hopes that it will help those being bullied find a voice toward help and resolution.

As organizations across the country take up the bullying cause, more people are sharing their bullying stories to help prevent bullying in schools and among teens and children. Celebrities and other well-known individuals are just some of those joining the activist cause to help put an end to bullying of all types. There are many types of bullying including physical assault, teasing, spreading rumors and cyber bullying. All of these types of bullying can have devastating effects on a person’s self-esteem and feelings of self-worth. Hearing some of these bullying stories might help those being bullied find a way to stand up for themselves or to seek help from their situation.

Bullying Stories:

Unfortunately some bullying stories do not have happy endings. Recent media reports tell the story of a young man who was bullied so much for his sexual orientation that he took his own life. These kinds of situations are referred to as bullycide – where a person commits suicide as a result of being bullied. Bullying can be one of the toughest things an adolescent faces in their  young life. They will feel isolated and ostracized from their peers. They will lose all feelings of self-worth causing their self-esteem to plummet. Many bullying stories report that these teens feel they don’t have a way to stand up for themselves or anyone to turn to when the bullying begins to take over their life. They feel that if they report the bullying that it will only get worse. Listening to these bullying stories might  help those individuals realize they do have a place to turn for help and support during such a trying time in their adolescence.

Reasons for Bullying:

There are many reasons teens choose to bully one another. Many teens are bullied themselves and turn on other teens to help feel better about themselves. Other teens like the feeling of power and respect they get when they become a bully. Some teens and even children who bully are simply ignorant and close minded. These are very unfortunate situations that need to be stopped before more tragic situations of bullycide and other devastating emotional effects occur.

Teens are often bullied for a bunch of reasons including their sexual preference, gender, religious affiliation, socio-economic background, intelligence, disabilities, talents, interests and so much more. Many teens can be so mean to each other for almost no reason. Unfortunately the effects of these bullying situations don’t end well in many situations. Teens are so emotionally damaged, they can take these feelings and bottle them up in an unhealthy way. They may develop problems with eating disorders, depression, anxiety, self-mutilation and even suicidal thoughts or tendencies. Because the power of bullying can be so devastating, it is important for parents to watch for the signs that their teen might be being bullied, or to come up with ways to help protect their child from being bullied in the first place. Many schools are also taking an active stand against bullying by putting in place effective consequences and repercussions for teens that still try to attempt and bully their peers.

How To Prevent Bullying:

Everyone should take an active stance against bullying including parents, teachers, school administrators as well as teens themselves. If teens see an act of bullying, they should  immediately report it to a parent or teacher. Because teens are the ones that are most likely to see the acts of bullying occur. Because of this, they are the ones that are going to be the most able to actively prevent bullying from occurring. It is important as a parent to stress this to your teen. Encourage them to take a stand against bullying and to report it if they see it happening. It is also important for teens to notify their parents if they feel they are being bullied. Actively communicating about these topics is the best way for teens to feel comfortable talking about their concerns to their parents. This can stop bullying from getting worse and can help limit the amount of emotional damage a teen feels/experiences when bullied. Parents also need to help prepare their teens for these kinds of instances and encourage their own teens to be kind and understanding to their peers regardless of what differences they might have. Putting a stop to bullying stories in general is a great way to help put an end to bullying.

Sources:trivalleycentral.com

Bullying Laws

Bullying laws? What are the laws concerning bullying in the United States? This article covers the basics of bullying laws (sometimes called anti-bullying laws): which states have them and what bullying laws cover. Keep reading for more on bullying laws.

What Is Bullying?

Bullying can take place in or out of school and in person or through other means of communication. When it occurs online, in, for example, emails, text messages, or in posts on websites, it is referred to as cyberbullying. Bullying can be verbal or physical, and when physical, it can be directed against a person, a person’s property, or be used to intimidate, rather than inflict damage to the person or his or her property. Verbal bullying can include name-calling, threatening, or teasing someone, or making obscene remarks or spreading rumors about someone. Bullying can be peer-to-peer, or be done by younger people to older people or vice versa.

What Are Bullying Laws?

Bullying laws are laws that aim to prevent bullying or address it when it happens or both. Because they are against bullying, they are also called “anti-bullying laws” for clarity. So far, there are only state laws about bullying, but people have suggested a national law. Bullying laws often focus on schools, which are the site of a large amount of bullying behavior, with bullying being the most problematic during the middle school years (grades 6-8).

Bullying laws have pursued different programs and agendas. Laws may or may not criminalize bullying, some preferring to keep the handling of such situations in the realm of families and schools (when appropriate) rather than the courts. Laws may require reports of bullying by school personnel who witness it, and prescribe responses to bullying that includes investigation and imposing disciplinary measures, notification for parents, and support and counseling of targets.

Which States Have Bullying Laws?

The bullying laws in the United States are undergoing change. As of October, 2010, 45 states had bullying laws, while there were no such laws in the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Michigan, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota, with  New York being one of the most recent to pass legislation.

As new states continue to put bullying laws on the books, states with existing laws review and revise them. New Jersey, for example, which passed anti-bullying legislation in 2002, had an “anti-bullying bill of rights” law introduced to its legislature in October, 2010. The new law provides for the training of public school staff in addressing bullying, intimidation, and harassment, as well as in suicide prevention.

Why Are Bullying Laws Controversial?

Some people question whether legislation specifically aimed at bullying adds anything new to existing laws. While many people are eager to see bullying addressed, others question whether existing laws about harassment, safety, violence, and destruction of property are actually sufficient. In addition, many individual schools have felt compelled to come up with bullying plans that they feel are appropriate to their situation. The particular wording of the bullying law at the state level could redirect attention from where individual schools have felt moved to place it based on their experience.

Sources

topbullying
now.hrsa.gov
bullypolice.org
schoolsecurity.org
msnbc.msn.com
boston.com

Bullying Wristbands

Bullying wristbands are meant to help students show solidarity and express their refusal to tolerate bullying. However, wearing the wristbands can backfire. Keep reading to learn about the history of anti-bullying wristbands and tips to prevent bullying.

Bullying is a serious problem in many schools. Bullying occurs when someone uses various means to physically or emotionally intimidate or humiliate someone else. Bullying does not have to be physical; in many cases it is mental or emotional, making use of words and other tactics meant to exclude another and make him or her feel bad. There are have been numerous attempts to stop bullying in schools, in an effort to increase the safety of the school environment. However, it can be difficult to address this problem.

Anti-bullying wristbands

One of the things that was tried in Britain (and also, on a more limited scale in the U.S.) was the use of bullying wristbands meant to help students through a show of solidarity. The yellow Livestrong bands for cancer awareness became a fashion trend, and many others began using silicon wristbands of different colors to raise awareness of different causes. The bullying wristbands are of the same mold. It is possible to make a fashion statement, while sticking up for a cause. And the anti-bullying wristbands were supposed to do just that. In order to give them some cachet, celebrities like Bono from U2 and soccer start David Beckham wore them.

The bullying wristbands were supposed help students show that they would not be bullied, and that they would stand by their friends and help prevent their friends from being bullied. However, in the U.K., the plan backfired. The Guardian reported that many students wearing the bullying wristbands became victims themselves. Bullies thought that those wearing the wristbands would make good targets. So, instead of helping students, the wristbands simply marked out more victims for bullies.

Avoiding bullies

You do not need a wristband to help stop bullying, though. Efforts to stop bullying really need to start with student efforts, with support from teachers and parents. If you want to avoid a bully, it is often a good idea to consider some of the behaviors that discourage bullying. Here are some things you can do to reduce the chances that you will be the victim of a bully:

  • Show confidence: Bullies rarely pick on people who show self-confidence. If you can be self-confident in your manner and your way of speaking, then you are less likely to be a victim.
  • Hang out with good friends: Bullies usually do not go after those who are protected by good friends. Make good friends that can be with you before and after school, and during class breaks.
  • Walk away: You do not have to stick around and be victimized. Try to walk away. It is best if you can move in the direction of some authority figure who can intervene in the situation.

It is also important for parents and teachers to encourage kids to avoid becoming bullies. Talking about the problems of bullying, and taking bullying seriously and ensuring that there are consequences for bullying behavior can help cut down on bullying in schools.