Stand Up Against Bullying – Pink Shirt Day Feb 24
Pink Shirt Day is an annual one-day campaign to raise awareness about anti-bullying programs that help youth who need it the most.
Pink Shirt Day originated in Berwick, Nova Scotia in 2007 when two classmates of a boy bullied for wearing pink decided to do something about it. They purchased 50 pink shirts and encouraged other students to wear them in a united, visual stand against bullying.
Pink Shirt Day is now celebrated as a national anti-bullying event in 25 countries, and has been recognized by the United Nations since 2012.
Bullying is Not Okay
Bullying hurts physically and emotionally. In extreme cases it can cause victims to take their own lives in feelings of desolation or helplessness.
Amanda Todd (2012) and Rehtaeh Parsons (2013), two Canadian teens, both committed suicide after being bullied online.
At least one in three adolescent students in Canada have reported being bullied.
What is Bullying?
Three common types of bullying:
- Physical: hitting, kicking, punching, choking, pushing
- Verbal: threatening, taunting, teasing, hate speech
- Social: excluding victims from activities, starting rumours about them, extorting money
As children grow, emotional abuse tends to replace physical bullying.
Cyber-bullying is when someone is harmed or harassed online in a repeated or deliberate manner.
Who Are Likely Victims?
Bullied children are often those who are weaker or smaller, are shy or feel isolated from others.
Kids who are somewhat passive or stand out because of their differences open themselves to bully attacks.
Children who have fewer friends are often bullied more because they do not have other kids to turn to for support.
What Parents Can Do to Prevent Bullying
- Talk to your child regularly. Kids are more likely to tell parents they are being bullied than they are to tell their teachers or principal.
Ask questions:
- How are things at school?
- What do you think of the other kids in your class?
- Does anyone get picked-on or bullied?
2. Know the Signs of Bullying
- Torn clothing, missing possessions, requests for extra lunch money
- Dropping school grades, refusing to go to school
- Complaints of headaches or illness — either to avoid going to school or because of bully related stress.
- Unexplained anger or sadness, bouts of insomnia, bedwetting.
3. Get Help From Professionals
The more you know about bullying, the better you can protect your child.
There are excellent Canadian programs to help you better understand bullying, and how to prevent your child from becoming a victim: