BULLYING 

The video posted above is the movie trailer for the up and coming film “Bully”. Please take a look at it, its truly motivational!

Bullying is an issue that needs to be taken seriously in all school systems. It can make children feel lonely, unhappy and frightened. It can make them feel unsafe and think there must be something wrong with them. Children can lose confidence and may not want to go to school anymore. It may even make them sick. Some people think bullying is just part of growing up and a way for young people to learn to stick up for themselves. But bullying can have long-term physical and psychological consequences and sometimes even results in suicide.

Bullying Statistics:
-High school incidents not dropping with a 15 per cent reporting one to three bullying incidents in the last month and 3.4 per cent 10 times or more.

-23 per cent of elementary students reported being bullied one to three times in the last month bullying statistics say.

-Recent bullying statistics admit that half of all bullying incidents go unreported.

-100,000 students carry a gun to school bullying statistics say.

-In a recent study, 77% of the students said they had been bullied. And 14% of those who were bullied said they experienced severe (bad) reactions to the abuse.

-Bullying statistics say revenge is the strongest motivation for school shootings

-87% of students said shootings are motivated by a desire to “get back at those who have hurt them.”

Bullying is recognized as a major public health problem in the Western world, and it appears to have devastating consequences. Cyberbullying has become an increasing public concern in light of recent cases associated with youth suicides that have been reported in the mass media.

Most of the studies that have examined the association between bullying and suicidality have been cross-sectional. Those studies show that bullying behavior in youth is associated with depression, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts. These associations have been found in elementary school, middle school, and high school students. Moreover, victims of bullying consistently exhibit more depressive symptoms than nonvictims; they have high levels of suicidal ideation and are more likely to attempt suicide than non-victims.

Megan Taylor Meier was an American teenager from Dardenne Prairie, Missouri, who committed suicide by hanging three weeks before her fourteenth birthday. A year later, Meier’s parents prompted an investigation into the matter and her suicide was attributed to cyber-bullying through the social networking website MySpace. 

 
It is very important for everyone to realize that bullying is not acceptable. In my high school alone, two people committed suicide due to bullying and that is two too many. I believe all schools need to become much more strict and take a stand against bullying creating a zero tolerance policy. Many school shootings such as Columbine and countless suicides have been linked to bullying. Something needs to be done! 

Bullying amongst teenagers who have come out as being gay is also on the rise. Here is a video of Ellen Degeneres speaking out about her cause. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_B-hVWQnjjM

“Love is Louder” is a anti-bullying campaign that has recently splashed all over the media. Celebrities apart of the campaign are Demi Lovato, Kim Kardashian, Justin Bieber & Lady Gaga. It is impossible for one person to put an end to bullying but by raising awareness and implementing harsh consequences I believe that bullying can be greatly reduced and hopefully in the future come to a complete end. 

Sources: Degeneres, Ellen: End bullying. Retrieved from: http://ellen.warnerbros.com/2010/10/resources_to_help_stop_bullying_0930.php
http://www.bullyingstatistics.org/