Bullying Prevention Month

National Bullying Prevention Month (NBPM) takes place every year throughout October. The campaign was originally founded as National Bullying Prevention and Awareness Week in 2006. After the campaign’s continued success, it was expanded to include the entire month of October. During NBPM, activist organizations, media outlets, and celebrities come together to combat bullying in American schools. They work together to raise awareness of bullying through public demonstrations, public service announcements (PSAs), and media outreach. Additionally, communities and organizations participating in NBPM provide support for bullied children and enable teachers, students, and parents to combat bullying within their own communities. Through these acts, NBPM hopes to change American culture from collectively accepting bullying to eliminating it.

Background

Bullying refers to repeated, unwanted aggressive behavior among school-aged children. In most cases, bullying involves a perceived power imbalance in which the bully dominates. This allows the bully to continue to harass other children without repercussions. This power imbalance may take the form of physical differences, such as one child being larger or stronger than another or may involve popularity and social stressors.

Bullying can be divided into three broad categories: verbal, social, and physical bullying. Verbal bullying involves teasing, taunting, threats, and inappropriate comments intended to make another child uncomfortable. Social bullying involves manipulating social situations to make another child feel hurt, alone, or afraid. It includes intentionally spreading rumors, embarrassing children in front of their peers, and purposefully excluding children from social situations. Physical bullying involves striking another child with the intent to harm. It can also include theft or damage to another child's possessions. Many children regularly experience multiple types of bullying.

When bullying occurs through electronic devices, such as cell phones and personal computers, it becomes cyberbullying. Cyberbullying often involves repeatedly messaging other children to threaten them. It may also encompass publicly embarrassing others on social media or spreading harmful rumors. Whereas other forms of bullying often require physical proximity to bullies, cyberbullying can be carried out at any time, making it particularly difficult for bullied children to avoid or combat. Additionally, studies show that children who are regularly cyberbullied are more likely to face in-person bullying.

Children who routinely face bullying often have reduced academic achievement and are more likely to miss school or drop out entirely. They may also have increased feelings of sadness, loneliness, and anxiety. Children who bully others are more likely to have criminal convictions and abuse alcohol as adults. Children who witness bullying are also more likely to experience depression, anxiety, and other mental health problems. Students who are both bullied and bullying others are at the highest risk of experiencing adverse effects.

In America, 20 percent of students report being bullied. Students with a learning disability, a speech impairment, language impairment, or behavior disorder are more likely to face bullying than their peers. Forty-one percent of those who reported being bullied believed that the harassment would continue. Forty-six percent of bullied students reported the harassment to a teacher or other adult.

Overview

National Bullying Prevention Month (NBPM) was founded in 2006 by PACER, a national parent center located in Minnesota. At the time of its founding, NBPM was known as National Bullying Prevention and Awareness Week and observed as a seven-day event held in the first week of October. In 2010, National Bullying Prevention and Awareness Week was expanded to the entire month of October.

NBPM works to raise awareness of bullying among students, teachers, and parents. Historically, bullying was considered a normal part of childhood. Some people even believed that bullying had a positive effect on children by making them tougher or serving as a coming-of-age ritual. However, modern research shows that bullying can cause severe side effects that last throughout adulthood.

Numerous schools and organizations across the United States hold events during NBPM. Though these events vary between years, they work to educate the public about the dangers of allowing bullying to continue unchecked. Some regions hold community walks to draw attention to bullying, while others celebrate Unity Day by wearing orange clothing as a show of support for bullied children. In 2022, NBPM created the Stop Bullying Video Challenge, which invited students to submit short videos showcasing how they promote a culture of kindness and respect.

In addition to its awareness-raising efforts, PACER and the organizations associated with NBPM have released several toolkits and training modules to provide educators with the resources to positively counteract bullying. NBPM also works to point children toward government resources that can provide students with the tools to end bullying in their communities. Through education and a collective effort, NBPM hopes to transform American culture from a society that accepts bullying into a one that uses compassionate action to end bullying.

As NBPM grew from a regional weeklong event into a national campaign, the movement attracted partnerships from celebrities and large corporations. In October 2012, television news reporters Katie Couric and Anderson Cooper wore orange on television in support of bullied children. Disney and ABC Family aired public service announcements regarding bullying and its effects on children. Facebook and Instagram published an online guide to help parents talk to their teenagers about online safety and cyberbullying.

Members of PACER recommend that all schools participate in NBPM in several ways. Students should be taught to practice empathy, including reporting bullying when they see it and reaching out to any struggling peers. Teachers should directly reward students for demonstrating thoughtfulness and respect toward their schools, classmates, and adults. Finally, according to PACER, school administrators should create targeted bullying prevention programs. These programs are intended to ensure that students, teachers, and parents have all the necessary resources to combat bullying within their communities.

Bibliography

“History—National Bullying Prevention Month.” PACER, 2023, www.pacer.org/bullying/nbpm/history.asp. Accessed 1 May 2024.

“History of PACER Center.” Pacer.org, 2024, www.pacer.org/about/history.asp. Accessed 1 May 2024.

“National Bullying Prevention Month.” PACER, 2023, www.pacer.org/bullying/nbpm/. Accessed 1 May 2024.

“National Bullying Prevention Month—October 2024.” National Today, 2024, nationaltoday.com/national-bullying-prevention-month/. Accessed 1 May 2024.

“PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center.” ReyesMD, 2024, www.rreyesmd.com/pacers-national-bullying-prevention-center/. Accessed 1 May 2024.