William Ridge
Have you been bullied before? Most people have experienced forms of bullying one way or another. While bullying may seem like a minute issue, It is clearly not. According to StopBullying.gov, "About 20% of students ages 12-18 experienced bullying nationwide." Now, 20% may seem like quite a small percentage, Though in the big picture, this is more than 65,800,000 people, According to maniacs.info .
So, how did bullying become such a threat? And, how do we prevent it? Well, we will find out in this article.
How Bullying Affects Victims
So, how does bullying affect victims? Well, according to StopBullying.gov, " Kids who are bullied can experience negative physical, social, emotional, academic, and mental health issues. Kids who are bullied are more likely to experience:
Depression and anxiety, increased feelings of sadness and loneliness, changes in sleep and eating patterns, and loss of interest in activities they
used to enjoy. These issues may persist into adulthood.
Health complaints
Decreased academic achievement—GPA and standardized test scores—and school participation. They are more likely to miss, skip, or drop out of school.
A very small number of bullied children might retaliate through extremely violent measures. In 12 of 15 school shooting cases in the 1990s, th
e shooters had a history of being bullied. "
How To Stop Bullying
Now, how do we stop bullying? Well, accordi
ng to kidshealth.org,
"Tell a trusted adult. Adults in positions of authority, like parents, teachers, or coaches, often can deal with bullying without the bully ever learning how they found out about it.
Ignore the bully and walk away. Bullies like getting a reaction. If you walk away or ignore them, you're telling them that you don't care.
Walk tall and hold your head high. Using this type of body language sends a message that you're not vulnerable.
Don't get physical. You're more likely to be hurt and get into trouble if you try to fight a bully. Work out your anger in another way, such as exercising or writing it down (make sure you delete or tear up any emails, posts, letters, or notes you write in anger).
Try to talk to the bully. Try to point out that his or her behavior is serious and harmful. This can work well if you notice that a member of your own group has started to pick on or shun another member.
Practice confidence. Practice ways to respond to the bully verbally or through your behavior. Practice feeling good about yourself (even if you have to fake it at first).
Talk about it. It may help to talk to a guidance counselor, teacher, or friend — anyone who can give you the support you need. Talking can be a good outlet for the fears and frustrations that can build when you're being bullied.
Find your (true) friends. If you've been bullied with rumors or gossip, tell your friends so that they can help you feel safe and secure. Avoid being alone, especially when the bullying is happening a lot.
Stand up for friends and others you see being bullied. Your actions help the victim feel supported and may stop the bullying.
Join your school's bullying or violence prevention programs. Peer mediation is another way you may be able to work things out with a bully. If your school doesn't have these programs, start one of your own."
To find out if any of this is true, I surveyed multiple people about if they've been bullied or are being bullied. 60% of 50 people said yes, they have or are being bullied.
That's 3 out of 5 people. Which, is quite a lot.
With these pieces of articles, surveys, and other useful info, I hope I have made it clear on how to prevent, identify, and stop bullying for good.
Bibliography
StopBullying.gov: "What is bullying"
maniacs.info: "what is 20% of the human population"
Image 1 is from: https://wapave.org/bullying-at-school-resources-and-the-rights-of-students-with-special-needs/
Image 2 is from the Wix image library.