It’s #BullyingPreventionMonth; Here’s How You Can Help

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, between every 1 in 3 or 1 in 4 students in the country have been bullied at school.

“Bullying” is defined as “unwanted, aggressive behavior” between two or more school-aged children and teens, with two key components: an imbalance of power, and repetition.

An imbalance of power, be it real or perceived, means the student bullying others is using an advantage, such as physical strength or access to embarrassing information, to intimidate, control or harm others. These imbalances can be relatively straightforward, or complex and changing over time.

According to experts, bullying behavior also occurs more than once—typically over time—or has the potential to occur more than once.

Bullying can also appear in many forms. From physical or verbal attacks and threatening others, to rumor-spreading or purposely leaving someone out—bullying can take the shape of verbal, physical and social behaviors, often with lasting negative effects for both those being bullied, and those who are bullying others. When these behaviors happen online, usually in the form of verbal attacks, harassment, making threats or spreading rumors, it’s known as cyberbullying.

Statistics show that bullying is most prevalent during middle school in the form of verbal and social abuse, though bullying can occur at any age throughout school. Unfortunately, only about 20–30 percent of those bullied report the behavior to adults.

And, while statistics surrounding bullying’s prevalence can be daunting, there is good news: with increased awareness around bullying prevention in recent years, statistics show those negative behaviors may actually be trending slightly down.

“There is growing awareness of the problem of bullying, which may lead some to believe that bullying is increasing,” according to the health department. “However, studies suggest that rates of bullying may be declining.”

Still, in the meantime, bullying remains a serious issue at schools across the country—70.6 million young people report witnessing bullying at their schools—meaning prevention remains key.

According to the federal health department, when bystanders who see bullying intervene, the behavior stops within 10 seconds 57 percent of the time.

But how can we help prevent bullying from happening in the first place? Parents, schools and community members all play an important role, according to bullying prevention experts.

Talk To Kids About It: It’s easier to identify and stop bullying when one knows what to look for—and when kids know they can speak with a trusted, caring adult about it. Even if the adult is unable to solve the problem directly, providing support, comfort and advice to those affected by bullying. Adults can talk to kids about tactics on how to stand up to bullying behavior, such as walking away, using humor or saying, “Stop,” directly, as well as how to stay safe when confronting someone who is bullying others and encouraging them to report the incidents.

This adult support should also be available to those who are demonstrating bullying behavior—he or she, too, likely needs someone to discuss feelings with, and an adult to steer them toward help.

Look here for signs of being bullied, as well as warning signs of bullying behavior.

Let Kids Know You’re There For Them Without Judgement: Keeping the lines of communication open is key to bullying prevention, according to experts, and research shows that kids and teens look to adults for advice and guidance in tough situations.

Parents can keep those lines of communication open by asking questions about how a student’s day went, who they ate lunch with, how they like riding the bus, what they like/dislike most about school/the day, how they feel they are doing at school, and so on. These open-ended questions allow adults to gauge mood, seek information, and give the student an opportunity to bring up issues without feeling they are being interrogated.

It’s also important to talk about bullying directly: How do they define “bullying”? What do they think a bully does, and what do they think are the reasons someone would bully?

Make sure the child knows they can talk to an adult about these issues without fear of judgement.

Support Them In Their Endeavors: Oftentimes, students who are bullied are looked upon as “different” among their peers—personal and physical characteristics, hobbies, social groups and more can become targets for bullying behavior. It’s important to let kids be themselves and to support them and help them feel comfortable and strong in who they are, which in-turn will support bullying prevention efforts.

“Help kids take part in activities, interests, and hobbies they like,” according to the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. “Kids can volunteer, play sports, sing in a chorus, or join a youth group or school club. These activities give kids a chance to have fun and meet others with the same interests. They can build confidence and friendships that help protect kids from bullying.”

Lead By Example By Modeling The ‘Golden Rule’: Model good behavior in front of children, particularly when it comes to bullying. Show them to treat others with kindness, respect and dignity. Kids are looking to adults to see how they treat others, and how they handle stress and conflict.

Watch Out For Cyberbullying: Today, bullying can often spill over from day-to-day life onto the internet, known as cyberbullying. The most common behaviors include making threats, spreading rumors, taunting, spreading (or threatening to spread) sensitive or embarrassing information, and harassment. Remind kids that what they put on the internet, particularly on social media, can have wide-spread and lasting effects.

If a student at GK feels he or she is being bullied, the student should report the behavior to an adult, and may fill out and submit this form. The form may be submitted with the student’s name, or anonymously, but should be as detailed as possible. The more information passed along, including the submitter’s name, the better equipped school officials are to investigate the complaint. The form may also be printed and returned to school staff.

And remember: The best bullying prevention happens when adults and students alike practice kindness and compassion!