Bullying - Stop!

As a young girl, one of the toughest times I ever had to face was during the summer before my 7th grade year. Going in to junior high is never really easy, but it's especially not when you're being threatened. It didn't help that the school I was going to already had the reputation of bullying. You had to get by the "hoods" who stood right off the entrance of campus, smoking. If you were a newby (like I was going to be), then you had the possibility of getting initiated by either being thrown in a locker or shoved in a garbage can. Whether it was hype to scare people, or it really happened , I didn't know. All I did know, was one of the top "hoods" lived on the same block as I did, and she didn't like me.

My best friend, at the time, also lived on the same block, only down further. So, during the summer of 1986, every time I would walk to her house, I would have to pass by where the other girl lived. Now mind you, at one time we were friends. In fact, I had stayed the night with her before. But, sometimes, girls can be friends with you one minute and hate you the next...especially at that age. There would be a group of them, and everytime I would walk past their house they would yell out their window, "Hey B...., we're going to kick you a.." "Just wait for school to start b.... (and that is the nice version) It got to the point where I was so afraid, I wouldn't walk over to my friends house anymore, unless I took the long way, and went around a couple of blocks. This lasted all summer, and then one day, they decided to like me again. I guess in my case I was lucky. I was only bullied for a summer. However, bullying still goes on today, and in many cases it's not just for a summer.

Here are a few ways people can be bullied:

1. Verbal bullying including derogatory comments and bad names
2. Bullying through social exclusion or isolation
3. Physical bullying such as hitting, kicking, shoving, and spitting
4. Bullying through lies and false rumors
5. Having money or other things taken or damaged by students who bully
6. Being threatened or being forced to do things by students who bully
7. Racial bullying
8. Sexual bullying
9. Cyber bullying (via cell phone or Internet)

Some recent statistics on bullying are as follows:

- 1 out of 4 kids is Bullied. The American Justice Department says that this month 1 out of every 4 kids will be abused by another youth.
- Surveys Show That 77% of students are bullied mentally, verbally, & physically.
- In a recent study, 77% of the students said they had been bullied. And 14% of those who were bullied said they experienced severe (bad) reactions to the abuse.
- 1 out of 5 kids admits to being a bully, or doing some "Bullying."
- 8% of students miss 1 day of class per month for fear of Bullies.
- 43% fear harassment in the bathroom at school.
- 100,000 students carry a gun to school.
- 28% of youths who carry weapons have witnessed violence at home.
- A poll of teens ages 12-17 proved that they think violence increased at their schools.
- 282,000 students are physically attacked in secondary schools each month.
- More youth violence occurs on school grounds as opposed to on the way to school.
- Playground statistics - Every 7 minutes a child is bullied. Adult intervention - 4%. Peer intervention - 11%. No intervention - 85%.

There have been so many stories, movies, and articles on bullying over the last few years, and eveytime I see one, it makes me sad. Many times, the result of it can be suicide. Though in no way do I condone suicide, no matter what the situation, I can't imagine what it must feel like to be taunted, teased, threatened, excluded, and set up to fail every day by people. Though I mentioned girls earlier, that lovely age between 11 and 15 where they can be down right mean at times, you see this in boys also. Girls, many times will take the hurt inward. Boys, however, many times will take the hurt outward...in violence.

Whether directly or indirectly we have all been touched by bullying. We may even have been the bully at one time, like the girl who lived on my block. I think it's important that we pay attention to it more, especially with our own children, and talk about it. If you see them involved in it in any way, confront it. If we, as adults, are involved in it...STOP! Our kids learn from our actions and responses. Let's not keep silent. Lets agree to talk about it, before it's too late.