Bullying remains a pervasive problem, especially in schools. During National Bullying Prevention Month, NewBridge Services is shining a light on how anti-bullying initiatives involving educators, parents, and students are critical to raising bullying awareness and creating lasting change.

“We need to support safe schools and communities where children see differences in people as positive, witness and express empathy, and learn peaceful ways of managing conflict,” said NewBridge CEO Michelle Borden, a licensed clinical social worker.

Common forms of bullying include physical harm, verbal abuse, rumor-spreading, and social exclusion. Cyberbullying has expanded the reach of harassment beyond school grounds, emphasizing the need for comprehensive bullying prevention strategies that address both in-person and online bullying. A 2022 Pew Research Center survey found that 46% of teens ages 13-17 had been cyberbullied, underlining the importance of awareness during National Bullying Prevention Month.

Bullying Awareness

Successful intervention of bullying requires a collective effort. We must reject bullying as acceptable behavior, and teach children and teens resiliency skills, and explore ways to help those who bully change their behavior. Studies show that children who bully are more likely later in life to have problems holding down a job, struggle in relationships, become dependent on alcohol or drugs, and get in trouble with the law.

Bullying awareness month reminds us that effective bullying intervention requires action in the first moments of a bullying incident. Students must learn to be upstanders who intervene when they witness bullying. Studies show that when bystanders step in, they can diffuse the situation, and bullying stops within 10 seconds in more than half of the cases. When intervention of bullying fails to occur, it sends a message that the behavior is acceptable, Borden said.

Statistics

One in five high school students reported being bullied at school, but the rate is nearly double for students who identify as LGBTQ+, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. New Jersey schools confirmed 9,011 incidents of harassment, intimidation, and bullying (HIB) during the 2022-23 school year, according to the state Department of Education commissioner’s annual report.

At NewBridge Jobs Plus, NewBridge’s successful alternative education and career program, a number of participants in “left high school specifically because bullying was so intolerable,” Program Director Amy Sheppard said. “NewBridge Jobs Plus is a safe space for young people to be treated with respect and dignity, where there is truly zero tolerance for bullying behaviors.”

Resources for Bullying Victims

PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center has created a Teens Against Bullying website and a Kids Against Bullying website that provide bullying prevention strategies and offer a space for students to be heard.

Here are signs a child is being bullied:

Lost or damaged clothing, electronics, or other possessions
Unexplained injuries
Frequent headaches or stomach aches
Changes in eating or sleeping habits
Declining grades or school avoidance
Feelings of helplessness or low self-esteem
Self-destructive behaviors, including talk of suicide

Here are signs a child may be bullying others:

Gets into frequent fights or arguments
Associates with peers who bully
Displays increasing aggression
Has extra money or new belongings with no clear explanation
Refuses to accept responsibility for their actions

Bullying Prevention Activities

During Bullying Awareness Month, schools and communities can organize various bullying prevention activities to raise awareness:

Wear orange on Unity Day, Oct. 16, to show support for anti-bullying programs.
Host educational events and bullying prevention workshops.
Encourage students to create anti-bullying videos, posters, or social media campaigns.
Implement classroom activities that promote kindness and inclusion.

Bullying Prevention Programs

School districts can request NewBridge’s bullying prevention programs and resiliency training for students and educators. These sessions teach students how to recognize and respond to bullying, equip them with conflict resolution skills, and promote self-esteem to reduce vulnerability to peer pressure. Students also learn how to remain calm and disengage when confronted with bullying.

Contact Director of Community Response and Education Beth Jacobson at (973) 686-2228 or ejacobson@newbridge.org.

How You Can Help

NewBridge helps children, teenagers and young adults develop resiliency skills and know their self-worth so they are less susceptible to bullying and more inclined to be upstanders. NewBridge provides mental health counseling to individuals who were bullied and those who did the bullying. NewBridge addresses the underlying issues that can make children and adults vulnerable. We invite you to join us in bringing balance to people’s lives. Please make a donation at https://fundraise.givesmart.com/f/5a03/n?vid=1kwscr. Thank you!