Mental Health, Parenting
Once upon a time, bullying was nothing short of a rite of passage. Some kids got bullied, and some learned how to be the bullies themselves. Now, however, we've largely stopped accepting this as status quo and instead started working to end bullying before it begins. Unfortunately, the trend of kids and teens picking on each other, sometimes with extreme results, has continued, and prevention is still not enough. There are many organizations that have formed in America and around the world to help prevent and alleviate the side-effects of bullying. Some of the most well-known are listed here:
Perhaps the best known anti-bullying organization in America, Stomp Out Bullying frequently partners with celebrities to put familiar faces on their cause. The organization established October as anti-bullying month across the country, and provides many resources in support of the event, including week-by-week challenges to students to help prevent bullying.
Founded in 2005, Stomp Out Bullying provides support to victims of in-person and online abuse, including cases of sexual and violent attacks. According to their website, among other causes, the organization "focuses on reducing and preventing bullying, cyberbullying, sexting and other digital abuse, educating against homophobia, racism and hatred, decreasing school absenteeism, and deterring violence in schools, online and in communities across the country. It teaches effective solutions on how to respond to all forms of bullying; as well as educating kids and teens in school and online, providing help for those in need and at risk of suicide, raising awareness, peer mentoring programs in schools, public service announcements by noted celebrities, and social media campaigns. An additional focus educates parents on how to keep their children safe and responsible online." (Stomp Out Bullying)
Their most immediate form of support for victims is their HelpChat line, open most hours, seven days a week.
"Founded in 2006, PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center actively leads social change, so that bullying is no longer considered an accepted childhood rite of passage. PACER provides innovative resources for students, parents, educators, and others, and recognizes bullying as a serious community issue that impacts education, physical and emotional health, and the safety and well-being of students." (PACER)
Pacer runs separate webpages for teens, kids, parents and educators to learn how to recognize and prevent bullying from their unique positions. PACER's recources include videos, downloadable PDFs and contact information to learn more about bullying. They visit schools around the country to run anti-bullying workshops and offer online an in-person resources, from their comprehensive websites to their "peer ambassador" program which identifies famous teens who have committed to help stop bullying. PACER sponsors the annual unity awards and runs multiple fundraising campaigns to continue providing and expanding their resources.
The government website created in response to the national bullying crisis provides many of the same resources as the sites listed above. However, its page on immediate help for victims is perhaps the most comprehensive and breaks down what source you should use based on your situation. The site hosts a special section on cyber bullying, including how to identify, prevent and report it. Most of the site resources on prevention and response are aimed at adults such as parents and educators, with the intent that these adults will go over the resources with the teens and children in their lives.
Anti-Bullying Pro is a program run out of the U.K to help students in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland to stand up against bullying. Since its founding in 2011, the organization has worked very hard to spread their message of awareness and prevention. In order to do that, they have "trained over 15,000 young people to be Anti-Bullying Ambassadors in the U.K, worked with over 2,000 Primary and Secondary schools, received funding from the Department for Education, held 6 National Anti-Bullying Week events, run 8 School Showcase events to celebrate and share best practice, and been recognized as best practice in Ofsted reports." (antibullyingpro). Much like other sites about anti-bullying, antibullyingpro has resources for children, teens, educators and parents. Their prevention tips include how to stay safe online, and information direct from the Department of Education.
If you or someone you know is being bullied, either online or in person, you can use any of these resources or talk to someone you trust about your situation.
http://www.stompoutbullying.org/
Mental Health, Parenting
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