What is Bullying?

Bullying and Suicide

Bullying is unwanted, aggressive
behavior among school aged children that
involves real or perceived power
imbalance. The behavior is repeated
overtime. It can be verbal, social, physical
or electronic (cyberbullying).
Cyberbullying includes sending, posting,
or sharing harmful, false, or mean
content about someone else.
Most youth who are bullied do not have
suicidal behaviors. Bullying alone is not
the cause, but can contribute to suicide
risk in individuals with depression,
issues at home, and trauma. Certain
groups are at higher risk of suicide,
including American Indian, Alaskan
Native, Asian American, lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender youth.

Warning Signs
Personal

*Unexplained injuries * Lost or destroyed

personal items *Declining grades
*Sudden loss of friends *Decreased self
esteem

Cyber

*Hiding screens or devices around others

*Avoiding social situations once enjoyed
*Becomes withdrawn or depressed
*Noticeable increase/decrease use of
device

Effects of Bullying
Kids who are bullied can experience
multiple negative symptoms including
physical, social, emotional, academic, and
mental. Some symptoms include: Anti-Bullying
•
•
Depression and anxiety.
Health complaints
Program
• Decreased grades and missing
class.
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How to Help as a Parent or
Youth at School…
• Students can contribute their
views and personal experiences
Fun Activities to
with bullying. They can mentor
and become leaders in promoting
Teach Students
respect and inclusion. They can
talk to their peers about how to
About Bullying!
prevent bullying and develop
policies to report it when they see
it happening.
• Parents can become involved
through parent teacher programs,
Parent and Youth volunteering, and school events. • Internet research on types of
• Schools can keep parents informed bullying, prevention, and how to
Engagement Benefits and provide opportunities for deal with “haters”.
parent involvement. • Presentations or performances on
Although most bullying happens at
schools, on the bus, or on the walk to and how to stop bullying from
from school, school administrators cannot happening or continuing.
prevent bullying alone. A strong support • Open discussions on bullying
from both parents and youth can provide topics, such as how to report it,
many solutions. Some benefits are: how to intervene, and how to
respond if it happens to you.
• Students feel safer • Creative writing, poems, stories, or
• School climate improves due to skits on speaking out against
students taking action to stop bullying.
bullying. • Artistic works on the effects of
• Parents can support schools’ bullying.
messages • Classroom meetings and inclusion
• Teachers can focus more on with peer relations.
teaching
• Parents are more likely to
recognize signs of bullying.
• Schools can develop more effective
solutions with youth reporting
bullying to staff.