October Is National Bullying Prevention Month

20% of students report being bullied.

The reasons for being bullied reported most often by students include physical appearance, race/ethnicity, gender, disability, religion, sexual orientation. 

School-based bullying prevention programs decrease bullying by up to 25%.

October is national bullying prevention month. This month, we can come together as a community to raise awareness on the issues caused by bullying, and the ways we can try to prevent it. Bullying behavior is repetitive, uses aggressive behavior, and directly affects school aged children. Bullying can also take place online, and can be both physical and verbal. Many males report being bullied physically, while females have a higher percentage of being bullied verbally (like through gossip). In 2006, multiple organizations joined together to create the first awareness campaign on the serious consequences of bullying, teaching parents how to prevent bullying and how to pass that information to their kids. 

Where can you find resources for bullying prevention?

• StopBullying.gov, a special initiative from the Department of Health and Human Services, provides information and resources from government agencies on how to prevent, respond, and take action against bullying.

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Striving To Reduce Youth Violence Everywhere (STRYVE) initiative provides communities with the knowledge and resources to prevent youth violence, including bullying.

You can also show your support in school systems, promote awareness for preventing bullying, break stigmas against race, gender, background, ethnicity, sexual orientation and more. 

You may wonder why children bully. First it is important to rid the typical stigmas around bullies and understand that the cause can be severely deep within them. Problems at home, prejudice, craving power, or peer pressure can all cause a kid to bully. If you or your child are a victim of bullying, know it does not have to do with you or your character. 

If you or someone you know is struggling with bullying, encourage them to talk to you, and possibly seek help at their school and also from a therapist. Bullying can be a difficult thing to stop, but the more you speak up about it, the better others can do to protect you and prevent it from happening!

Stop bullying now hotline: 1-800-273-8255