Bullies

“How the hell did you make the cheerleading squad? You’re ugly”. Those are words that I will never forget. That was just one of many emotional blows I received during my years at school. It hurt like hell. It warped my self-image. It is something that still lingers behind my confident smile.

Sadly, this is something many children experience every day by certain peers. In every school you have them, on every playground they lurk – bullies.

The word bully may bring an image of a physical attack or the stealing of lunch money - which those certainly fall into the category. But it is the day-to-day emotional abuse that makes this problem not only hard for adults to spot at times, but also create long-term damage.

According to the government website “Stop Bullying Now!”, the most common form of bullying comes in the form of mental abuse. From name-calling to rumor spreading to isolation of the target. This sort of mental attack can have an affect on a child’s academic achievement, physical health and emotional stability. They are found to have higher rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts.

So what can be done about it? Many schools have prevention programs for bullying. This is something that should be incorporated in all schools. In these programs teachers are trained to identify and respond to bullying situations, prevention is incorporated in classrooms, and one of the most important strategies is parental involvement.

My heart goes out to those who are tormented by their peers. I know what it does to you. Somehow, I made it out ok. But it has the ability to destroy. Bullying can’t continue to be swept under the rug. It must be known for what it is and all those involved need to be educated on how to prevent it. It may just save a life.