The Constant Battle to Prevent Bullying
Date Posted: 10/12/2023
October is National Bullying Prevention Month, a time to promote kindness and share strategies for prevention and supporting students who have been bullied.
In 2019, about 20% of students across the country reported being bullied, according to the National Center for Educational Statistics. That statistic is at the epicenter of PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Month campaign. The PACER Center is a parent training and information center for families who have children with disabilities from birth to young adults. In 2006, PACER founded their National Bullying Prevention Center, which aims to make social changes to prevent childhood bullying.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), bullying can have a big effect on a victim’s mental health, including increasing the risk for depression, anxiety, sleep difficulties, lower academic achievement, and dropping out of school entirely. The effects of bullying also extend to the perpetrator, who is at an increased risk for substance use, academic problems, and experiencing violence later in adolescence and adulthood. However, those who are both the victim and the perpetrator face a greater risk for mental health and behavioral problems. The effects of bullying because of a student’s disability, race, sexual orientation, etc., only adds to the level of challenges children can face daily, and it’s often difficult to have conversations with adults about these situations.
However, all these risks are preventable. The CDC has laid out a few ways to help prevent bullying, including parenting skills/family relationship programs, preschool enrichment with family engagement, and intervening to lessen harms and prevent future risk.
Cyberbullying can be even harder to prevent, and in the 2019 NCES study, about 15% of students reported experiencing it. The internet provides an anonymous tool to bully children online with considerably less fear of facing consequences. This can lead to more severe situations of student bullying and harassment. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, it is important to know the warning signs of cyberbullying, including a child becoming withdrawn or depressed. The department also has a guide available on how to prevent cyberbullying.
In a 2010 study by Penn State University researchers, students were asked what strategies “made things better” in response to a bullying incident. Thirty-four percent of students said telling an adult at home/school, 33% said making a joke about it, and 32% said telling a friend.
When it comes to what makes these situations worse, 49% of students said fighting back, 47% said making plans to get back at them, and 41% said telling the person to stop. Judging by these study results, students feel more positive when accessing parent and friend support networks.
PACER offers a variety of guides, handouts, and flyers to help educate yourself and students on bullying prevention and the best strategies for tackling bullying.
In 2019, about 20% of students across the country reported being bullied, according to the National Center for Educational Statistics. That statistic is at the epicenter of PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Month campaign. The PACER Center is a parent training and information center for families who have children with disabilities from birth to young adults. In 2006, PACER founded their National Bullying Prevention Center, which aims to make social changes to prevent childhood bullying.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), bullying can have a big effect on a victim’s mental health, including increasing the risk for depression, anxiety, sleep difficulties, lower academic achievement, and dropping out of school entirely. The effects of bullying also extend to the perpetrator, who is at an increased risk for substance use, academic problems, and experiencing violence later in adolescence and adulthood. However, those who are both the victim and the perpetrator face a greater risk for mental health and behavioral problems. The effects of bullying because of a student’s disability, race, sexual orientation, etc., only adds to the level of challenges children can face daily, and it’s often difficult to have conversations with adults about these situations.
However, all these risks are preventable. The CDC has laid out a few ways to help prevent bullying, including parenting skills/family relationship programs, preschool enrichment with family engagement, and intervening to lessen harms and prevent future risk.
Cyberbullying can be even harder to prevent, and in the 2019 NCES study, about 15% of students reported experiencing it. The internet provides an anonymous tool to bully children online with considerably less fear of facing consequences. This can lead to more severe situations of student bullying and harassment. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, it is important to know the warning signs of cyberbullying, including a child becoming withdrawn or depressed. The department also has a guide available on how to prevent cyberbullying.
In a 2010 study by Penn State University researchers, students were asked what strategies “made things better” in response to a bullying incident. Thirty-four percent of students said telling an adult at home/school, 33% said making a joke about it, and 32% said telling a friend.
When it comes to what makes these situations worse, 49% of students said fighting back, 47% said making plans to get back at them, and 41% said telling the person to stop. Judging by these study results, students feel more positive when accessing parent and friend support networks.
PACER offers a variety of guides, handouts, and flyers to help educate yourself and students on bullying prevention and the best strategies for tackling bullying.