Bullying is a huge problem. You have probably witnessed it, and you may have experienced it yourself. Bullying is not "just part of growing" up and do not let anyone tell you otherwise. The effects of bullying on your physical and emotional well-being can stick with you into adulthood. Just consider these statistics:
- About 56% of all students have witnessed a bullying crime take place while at school.
- About 282,000 students are reportedly attacked in high schools through the nation each month.
- More than 160,000 students in the United States stay home from school each day from fear of being bullied.
- American schools harbor approximately 2.1 million bullies and 2.7 million of their victims.
You are not alone and you CAN do something about it! It is time to Bullyproof our schools and communities!
What is Bullying?
Bullying can take many forms, can happen in different situations, and can have different impacts on different students. Here is a breakdown of the main types of bullying to look out for:
- Verbal bullying is saying or writing mean things. Verbal bullying includes:
- Teasing
- Name-calling
- Inappropriate sexual comments
- Taunting
- Threatening to cause harm
- Social bullying, sometimes referred to as relational bullying, involves hurting someone’s reputation or relationships. Social bullying includes:
- Leaving someone out on purpose
- Telling other children not to be friends with someone
- Spreading rumors about someone
- Embarrassing someone in public
- Physical bullying involves hurting a person’s body or possessions. Physical bullying includes:
- Hitting/kicking/pinching
- Spitting
- Tripping/pushing
- Taking or breaking someone’s things
- Making mean or rude hand gestures
What should you do if you are being bullied?
Bullying is scary. And embarrassing. And emotionally and physically painful. It can also be a crime. You have the right to speak up and to be free from bullying. You have the right to attend school and to be safe at school. You have the right to enforce your school’s bullying policies and to report bullying when it is criminal.
Bullying is NOT "just part of growing up" and is NOT something that you have to endure. Find more information about how you can stop bullying below: