October is National Bullying Prevention Month

Far too often in our country, young children take their lives because of bullying. According to an April 2023 post by the website What To Become:

•46% of teens report experiencing cyberbullying at least once.

•25% of LGBTQ+ students experienced bullying at school.

•22% of students get bullied during the school year.

•At 79%, verbal harassment is the most common form of bullying at school.

•Name-calling is the most common form of child cyberbullying.

October is National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month. This campaign unites communities nationwide to educate and raise awareness of bullying prevention. The ultimate goal of bullying awareness is to prevent bullying before it starts.

There is a strong link between bullying and suicide. The latest data from the CDC reports that suicide is the second leading cause of death for ages 10-18. Bullied students are twice as likely to attempt suicide. Statistics show that suicide attempts are 1.9 times higher for bullying

victims. In the past few years, we have seen more children under age ten take their own lives and bullying has been a factor. Statistically, school bullying is at its worst in sixth and seventh grades.

Schools have a role to play in preventing bullying. School district policies must contain key policy and procedural elements, including the definition of bullying, disciplinary consequences for policy violations, procedures for reporting bullying incidents, and designation of appropriate school staff to receive reports of alleged bullying. It is vital that these district policies are consistently adhered to. Parents need to help their children understand that bullying is wrong and unacceptable. They also need to keep the lines of communication open and educate their children about bullying and bullies. Friends can play a vital role in helping friends who face bullying. Check in with your friends, ask how they feel, and if they need anything. You can support them by reporting the bullying to a trusted adult. Finally, a friend can reassure the person experiencing bullying that it’s not their fault.