October is National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month. Join students, parents, educators, schools, and communities nationwide in their efforts to raise awareness and help prevent this serious, consequential, and troubling social phenomenon.
Bullying Matters.
As an Academic School Counselor, I would like to share with you some professional thoughts and personal observations on the matter. Many students I have worked with over the years have a friend who has been bullied, have witnessed someone being bullied, or have been a target of bullying themselves.
My experience in working with children who have been bullied suggests that there is always a power imbalance of some kind between the bully and his or her target. The bully has most, if not all, of the power and thus has nothing to lose. He or she may be perceived as stronger in an area such as physical stature or social status. On the other hand, the targeted person is positioned as having more to lose and is perceived as having less power; he or she may not be as physically strong or may not "rank" in the peer group social structure.
Bullying manifests itself in different ways. It can include overt and aggressive physical altercations, it can be more covert and expressed verbally via emotional taunting and harassment, or it can take place online through "cyberbullying."
Whatever form it takes and wherever it happens-at school, in the community, or on social media- bullying can and does have profound consequences.
What's at stake?
While the effects of bullying may be fleeting for some kids, others can suffer emotional and physical repercussions for months or even years after the incident. What's more, for some the consequences follow an individual for a lifetime.
Students I've worked with who have been bullied report experiencing a multitude of mental health issues. The effects are manifested in interpersonal relationships and social well-being. Self-esteem and self-confidence plummet. Students suffer symptoms of depression and develop anxieties they haven't experienced in the past. Many report being fearful of social situations and isolate themselves.
Take Action.
It is incumbent upon us as Christians to do what we can to help those who have been bullied. Be a part of the solution. Take steps toward preventing such maltreatment. To join the conversation and learn what you can do to raise awareness and prevent bullying, as well as help those who have been victimized, check out the following resources:
National Bullying Prevention Center
Cyberbullying Resource Center
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network
Seek Help.
If you've been bullied and don't know what to do, confide in a trusted adult or talk to a friend. Speak up. You matter. Together you will find a way to feel better, heal, and move forward. Check out the following resources for help:
Get Help Now
Stomp Out Bullying
Kids Against Bullying
Teens Against Bullying
Chersti Hansen
Academic School Counselor