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Volume 15 Number 7 | 50¢
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February 17, 2016
Bravery against bullies At some point in our lives, we have all encountered a bully. You know the one. Whether they overtly attack your character or exclude you from your peer group, it’s not something that we necessarily out grow as we get older. Bullies are not just on the playground; they can also be in the work place, at home or on the Internet. As we get older, we are better equipped to defend and protect ourselves; or to better shake it off. When bullying occurs as a child or teenager, it truly feels like the end of the world. That’s why attention must be paid and awareness must be heightened over the issue. Enter Pink Shirt Day, an initiative that was started in Nova Scotia by two high school students. David Shepherd and Travis Price witnessed another boy being harassed for wearing a pink shirt and it stirred up a movement. They hosted a protest with their friends known as Pink Shirt Day and it has become a
National day of remembrance. This Nervous about the next day, fearyear, on February 24, local schools ful of the next attack, that knotted and businesses, such as the North up, sick in the stomach sensation Shore Denny’s, are wearing pink in about that person, or group of peoprotest of bullies everywhere. ple who seem to thrive off of the Bullying can take shape in many degradation of others. As a young forms: fighting, threatening, name- person, the definition they hit you calling, teasing or social exclu- with, ‘loser’ or ‘freak’ may feel sion; any kind of physical, social like the absolute, unshakeable truth. and emotional harm, exuding an School is hard enough as it is, bulimbalance of power, such as size lying can make a young person’s or status. With the accessibility of life simply unbearable. “They’re the Internet and social media bul- just jerks”, that one is obvious, of lying can now most certainly course bullies are jerks, but you RSOE - frfolear jan 25 2012.indd 1 low you home. The Internet has still have to live with that abuse, or been proven to be a very danger- in fear of the next time the abuse ous place for young people. gets slew at you like mud. “Tell the As a parent trying to teach their teacher, tell a grown up”, is also child about dealing with bullying, one that sounds like a great idea how do you comfort or empower in theory too. Sadly, the fear for a your child? “Don’t let them get to child is that expressing a very real you”, “Ignore it”, “Forget about it”, experience that is upsetting or trauis something we say because we matizing, will appear as snitching. don’t always know what to say. We This creates a vicious cycle for a can all understand that young person, who might be suffeeling though.
fering silently for fear of drawing even more negative attention. It might feel like a hopeless situation, but it’s not. Now, more than ever, there is a dialogue about bullying and an active desire to see that kind of behaviour eradicated in schools. How do we help children who are being bullied? Listen. Take their claims seriously. Respond without judgment. Devise an action plan. Check in often. Encourage. Promote nonviolent solutions. Notice that your child might be doing the bullying? Approach the situation with many of the same methods. Ask questions, seek to understand their motivations, create opportunities that will develop sympathy or compassion, monitor their activity on social media. Communicate with their school to create a supportive network. For more information on Pink Shirt Day, check out their website: pinkshirtday.ca. Alicia Ashcroft, freelance
Photo credit: pinkshirtday.ca
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