October is National Bullying Prevention Month
Photo: Adam Nemeroff | Unsplash
By Kristen A. Schmitt
October is National Bullying Prevention Month. It was established in 2006 as way to acknowledge the “devastating effects [of bullying] on children and families,” according to The National Child Traumatic Stress Network. Severe bullying can result in mental health problems like depression, anxiety, substance abuse and, even, suicidal thoughts and behaviors. A survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS) found about 20% of students aged 12 to 18 experienced bullying nationwide and 19% of students in grades 9 to 12 reported being bullied on school property.
This month Call to Mind joins like-minded organizations to focus on bullying because it’s an issue that knows no boundaries. While it can primarily occur during adolescent years, bullying can impact all ages, all genders and all ethnicities.
The truth is that bullying is widespread and, sometimes, undetectable, depending on the type of bullying that is happening. In addition to the old ways of shoving or name-calling, today there’s cyberbullying on social media, which often includes sharing false, harmful and mean information about someone. It can happen to kids and adults, and the bullies can be known or anonymous, depending on the platform. Cyberbullying can target one person or multiple people – and can be persistent, permanent, and often loved ones aren’t aware it’s even happening.
Before social media, people who were bullied could escape to the safety of their homes in the evenings. Now, with everyone constantly connected online, people are continually targeted on social network and gaming sites. A Pew survey focused on cyberbullying in teens reports: 90% of teens believe online harassment is a problem affecting their generation and 63% say it’s a major one. And only 20% of school bullying incidents were even reported, according to a 2018 survey conducted by USDHHS.
So, what can we do to help those who are being bullied? The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services shares a few important things to understand:
Bullying affects everyone: the one being bullied, the one doing the bullying and those who witness bullying.
Anyone can be bullied. There is no way to predetermine who might be targeted.
Bullying prevention activities seem to work better than zero tolerance or expulsion approaches when handling bullying within the school community.
Bystanders can make a difference and should always intervene.
Parents should talk about bullying and model the type of behavior they want their children to mirror.
While many resources focus on school-aged children and teens, bullying can occur at all stages of life. Bullying in adulthood can appear as aggression, discrimination, stereotyping, denial of access or opportunity and verbal, mental and physical abuse, which can impact all adults, particularly those within the LGBTQI communities, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), as well as women, communities of color and people with disabilities. Being bullied as an adult can impact your mental health and self-worth just as much as it can someone who is younger.
If you are being bullied as an adult, here are some tips on how to handle it from Psychology Today:
Speak up. Don’t be afraid to report the bullying behavior to a manager, friend or someone you trust.
Document everything. In today’s digital economy, saving bullying emails, texts, social media posts and more will only strengthen your case.
Use your social support system. Rely on those around you whom you trust to help you report the behavior and seek help.
Set boundaries. As adults, we can choose who to let into our lives and how much we let them in.
Some additional resources:
Parents, guardians, and educators should know how to identify if a young person is being bullied. Stomp Out Bullying provides a checklist on taking action to protect your child.
The Bully Project has tools for educators, parents, students and advocates as well as those interested in helping people with special needs.
Second Step provides a list of books that can introduce and address the topic of bullying for ages PreK to young adult
This resource guide from Mental Health America addresses the unique challenges the LQBTQI community faces and ways to help.
This Washington Post op-ed discusses adult bullies and references several helpful books.
Remember that bullying can make someone feel helpless and alone, unable to act and afraid to report the incidents. It’s important to know the warning signs and take action. No one deserves to feel inferior just for being themselves.