Bullying Extends Beyond the Language Barrier

I have been away in Europe for the last 10 days and while I was gone I realized something about bullying. Despite what language you speak, bullying is still being communicated. Words can still hurt even if we do not know what they mean. If one can tell they are being used negatively, then the effect is the same. It all seems to be revolving around ignorance. People can be too ignorant to try and understand others, especially when there is a language barrier in the way. It is crucial that not only as we strive to get rid of bullying in our culture, but that we also try ten times harder to avoid bullying to other cultures. Bullying can come so easy and almost naturally when engaging with people who speak another language. Try hard to understand where they are coming from, where they think you are coming from, and where you actually are coming from. Understanding is key to acceptance. Acceptance is key in the fight against bullying.

Eyes open

It hasn't been long since we've started this project and already I realize its made a change. Not just in our community but in myself. I thought I knew everything there was to know when we first started, and how wrong I was. This project has made me more aware of my surroundings, the things I say and the little things most don't stop to think about. Even the simple act of holding an elevator door open for someone.

In light of this, I spent a week and really focused on the subject in every aspect of my day. What was discovered shocked me, and I realized little things I can change in my daily habits to help others. So I will ask you a favor. Take the time and spend a week, a day, even a few hours and really think about bullying as you go about your routine. Then, comment on this post and share what you've found. We would really appreciate others findings and input.

On a side note I would like to inform all of our followers that we are currently working on a documentary, so keep checking in on us! We will keep you posted. Thank you always.

What you can do

Report. Be a friend. Stand up.
Three simple things you can do to create a change.

Don't be afraid to tell someone, mainly an adult. Telling isn't tattling, you're helping someone. There is an endless possibility of adults you can confide in telling something as serious as bullying. School counselor, teacher, parent, coach, anyone of authority.

Just being supportive to a person who is being bullied is comforting and shows them that they're not alone. That people care. When someone is down they need a friend. Be a buddy at school, get together after school, include them in activities. Being understanding and supportive means so much. If you care, show it.

Stand up to the bully. If you feel safe and comfortable, tell the bully that what they are doing is wrong. Keep it simple. What they are doing is not cool and they need to stop. But remember, it's not ok to bully them back.

The Negative Image

Negative actions often have a more memorable effect on people than positive ones. People remember the mean and harmful things that happen to them much more than the uplifting ones. As we engage with others it is important to reflect on this idea. Our negative actions will be how people remember us. Even if its just one encounter, if that encounter is negative you will always be remembered as "the person who hurt me". Since bullying is a negative action in every way we must strive to avoid it. At one point or another we have all bullied someone. If it happened isn't the problem tho. The problem is the effort we put into fixing it. What if we take the time to fix the negative images that others have of us? By ensuring people see us in a non-bullying light, we not only fight the bullying that occurs within all of us, but we also pave the way for others to follow. Actions really do speak louder than words and while we can fight bullying by spreading the word, we must also spread the actions. Live the words you spread, act the way you speak, and thus change the world.

When your with your siblings....

do you bully or do you tease?

There is a very fine line in-between these two. I know i have crossed it many times a whole heartily regret it. Siblings pick and tease each other relentlessly, but where do we draw the line? When does playful teasing becoming harmful bullying? Well, lets look at what bullying really is. Bullying is the tormenting of another to elevate one's self above them. To me it seems that teasing can easily fall into this category. We must be very careful about the words we choose to say to anyone, our loved ones especially. Sticks and stones may break bones, but words can stab at your soul.

Bullying Later in Life

Bullying exists far past the realms of school. In school, bullies learn their bad habits and often hold on to these bad habits for the rest of their life. This video does a good job of depicting how such bullying is projected later in life. As we grow older, it seems that the playground is replaced by the office cubical and the bully is now "Fred" three cubicles down,or unfortunately even your boss. Whichever the case, bullying in the workplace is a very real factor that hundreds of thousands of adults deal with on a daily basis. Bullying can be prevented in the workplace and is often treated with several different organizations inside a company;however, treating the problem where it starts can be a concrete fix, not just a temporary one. If we attack the problem in the schools, then we ultimately aid everyone later in life.

Bullying is a large problem that creates gargantuan rifts in every aspect of our lives, despite our age. From elementary school to the work place, bulling NEEDS to be stopped.

Physical scars...

Are a thing of the past.
Over time, with much more social networks being created and widely used, no longer is bullying restricted to the playground. The bullying issue has expanded and spread like a virus among many of the social networks such as twitter, myspace, and lets not forget facebook, where victims of the bullying problem can not seem to find a break. It has turned into a 24 hours a day, 7 days a week online bashing to humiliate another.

Here are some statistics of the online cyberbullying based on a survey from 2004 with 1,500 students in middle school:

• 42% of kids have been bullied while online. 1 in 4 have had it happen more than once.
• 35% of kids have been threatened online. Nearly 1 in 5 have had it happen more than once.
• 21% of kids have received mean or threatening e-mail or other messages.
• 58% of kids admit someone has said mean or hurtful things to them online. More than 4 out of 10 say it has happened more than once.
• 53% of kids admit having said something mean or hurtful to another person online. More than 1 in 3 have done it more than once.
• 58% have not told their parents or an adult about something mean or hurtful that happened to them online.

Although there are no physical signs of this type of bullying the damage done is no less real, and can be more painful.