Y O U TH E MPOW E RM E NT
B
ullying in America is
on the rise, and social
media has made it
more accessible and
anonymous. According
to statistics from market research
provider Mintel, 47 percent of girls
between the ages of 12 and 17 have
been bullied. It’s become painfully
clear that this situation issue isn’t going to get better without a concerted
effort, and many students, teachers
and parents are ready for change.
As a mentor for young girls
and their parents, I have frequently
shared my difficult childhood experiences to help girls overcome challenges and develop self-esteem. I was
only five years old when I became
a target for bullying in my neighborhood. I remember feeling really
scared and anxious all the time. One
day I was riding my bike near my
house and some teenagers pretended
they were going to run me over with
their car. Why did they think that
was funny?
When I was in seventh grade, a
group of girls would repeatedly shove
me and tell me they were going to
beat me up. They even broke into
my locker and took my things. It was
incredibly stressful for me. I started
having stomach aches and frequent
nightmares. My schoolwork really
suffered too. I never felt I could tell
my parents or teachers. I just dealt
with it as best I could, hoping it would
stop. The bullying never did until my
sophomore year in high school.
To live under this kind of pressure
is too much for many kids and, sadly,
some have resorted to taking their
own lives as a result. I believe that if
bullies really understood the harm
and potential consequences of their
actions, they would not continue
tormenting others.
When I was bullied I felt like
an outcast, someone no one
would ever care about or even
knew existed. I feel badly for
kids who get bullied, and I
actually feel badly for the
bullies because obviously they
have problems. Overall its not
a good situation, but it does inspire me to be nicer to others …
for sure. – Brad, 15 years old
Taking a stand
against bullying
One of the best ways to create awareness and real change is by helping
our youth become leaders against
bullying in their schools. The formation of peace groups is proving to be
one possible solution that has met
with success. A peace group is any
organization that promotes compassion and kindness, while discouraging negative behaviors. They can be
any size, ranging from a small club
to an entire neighborhood effort,
complete with the involvement of
parents, teachers, coaches, youth pastors, and more.
If you know of others who are as
concerned about bullying, consider
getting together to talk about how
things could change. Host a courageous conversation around bullying
and invite parents and kids of all
ages. Don’t be afraid to go directly to
the school with your concerns and
ideas. If school administrators and
faculty hear that many parents and
students are interested in taking part
in anti-bullying efforts, they will
most likely support your efforts.
To bring more kindness and compassion into our environment, we all
need to participate in whatever way
we can. Many of us are not either
bullies or victims but bystanders—
those who see bullying happen, ofIMAGINE l Autumn 2015 13