Have you ever been bullied as a child, or felt picked on simply because of your looks, body shape, race, disability, or gender? Then you know how traumatic that can be. An issue that continues to this day, bullying impacts the lives of at least one out of every five children in schools across America. Yet that may be only the tip of the iceberg in who it affects and how it affects them. It is also a problem that, if left unaddressed, has far reaching consequences for victims, abusers, and communities alike.
That is why what is taking place each October, during National Bullying Prevention Month, is so significant.
Founded in 2006, by PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center as a week-long event, its intention was to “change perceptions of bullying as an accepted childhood rite of passage.” That message was expanded in 2010 to include activities, education, and awareness building in communities across the nation.
Today, hundreds of schools and organizations and thousands of students, parents, and educators, as well as civic and community leaders are engaging in innovative and collective ways to recognize bullying as a serious community issue. It impacts education, physical and emotional health, and the safety and well-being of students here at home, around the nation, and worldwide.
United against bullying
You don’t have to look any further than one Richmond public school, to be reminded of what is possible when students, citizens, and concerned community leaders are willing to take action. It was April 2014, when then Governor Steve Beshear signed into law an anti-bullying awareness bill championed by Madison Middle School students in a ceremony at the school. It established October as Anti-Bullying Month in Kentucky, and the official ribbon of anti-bullying awareness as purple and yellow. The purple symbolized domestic violence awareness, and the yellow representing the memory of victims who took their lives because of being bullied.
The bill passed in no small part due to the efforts of Madison Middle school students who petitioned, made phone calls, and testified in efforts to get the bill turned into law. Beshear acknowledged as much, saying the students were a big reason the bill was passed and added that a lot of folks in Frankfort “could learn lot from you guys.”
Yet just because a law is passed doesn’t mean the problem is resolved. The data gathered to support the instances of bullying is relatively recent. According to a 2015 U.S. Department of Education report, the federal government didn’t begin collecting data on school bullying until 2005, when the prevalence of bullying was considered to be around 28 percent. As of 2010, reports estimated that some 64% of children who were bullied never reported it.
Regardless of what is or is not reported, the effects of bullying are well known and now extend to an increase in cyberbullying (having nearly doubled from 18% to 34% from 2007-2016) to go along with offline experiences. According to the Center for Disease Control, students who are bullied are more likely to experience low self-esteem and isolation, perform poorly in school, have few friends in school, have a negative view of school, experience physical symptoms (such as headaches, stomachaches, or problems sleeping), and to experience mental health issues (such as depression, suicidal thoughts, and anxiety). It impacts those being bullied and those doing the bullying alike. The Center further warns that those students who engage in bullying behavior are at increased risk for academic problems, substance use, and violent behavior later in adolescence and adulthood.
There is also a strong association made between bullying and suicide-related behaviors which suggests that students who bully others, are bullied, or witness bullying are more likely to report high levels of suicide-related behavior than students who report no involvement in bullying at all.
In considering all the issues, three significant factors seem to stand out, as stated in a 2016 www.StopBullying.gov report. Bullying isn’t about resolving conflict; bullying is about control. Anyone can bully, and anyone can be bullied. Bullying is a behavior, not an identity. Therefore, labeling a student as a “bully” can have a detrimental effect on their future and often limits their ability to change their behavior.
While National Bullying Prevention Month is primarily focused on raising awareness of grade school bullying, adult and senior bullying demand similar attention. Some 35% of workers say they’ve experienced bullying first hand according to the Workplace Bullying Institute. MSNBC reports that 1 in 5 senior adults are bullied by other seniors either verbally, physically, or through cyberbullying. Another 10 to 20%, according to an Arizona State University School of Social Work study, say they have experienced some type of senior to senior aggression in an institutional setting.
Whether physical or emotional, being bullied can be traumatic regardless of age, and as with young people, impacts both the victim and bystander alike. Suggestions on how to deal with it are comparable as well. It calls for developing a culture of trust, respect, empathy, and accountability; a recognition that peers can be powerful allies; and that effective bullying prevention takes children, parents, teachers, and community members all working together. It further entails a greater understanding of what we define as bullying, and the inclusion of programs that emphasize prevention, early identification, and social skills instruction.
What happens during childhood can set the tone for both the victim and abuser for the rest of that person’s life. The importance of addressing both the cause and effect of bullying early on may be even more impactful than people think.
Jeff Rubin is an advocate, adviser, and upcoming author on community and aging issues. He has spent over 20 years as a director and facilitator of community service programs at the local, state and national levels. An advocate for “Age-friendly” and “Livable” communities, Mr. Rubin is currently working to advance these initiatives statewide in Kentucky and invites your comments, involvement, and support. He can be reached at Jeffrubin515@gmail.com.
