When I was a little girl, I remember being taught to talk through agression in solving problems. Rather than giving the little girl who took my crayons a swift kick in the shin; though sometimes I may have attempted a punt or two.
Looking back, I really appreciate the non-violent and non-judgmental approach to solving differences that was imprinted on me from such a young age.
However, the more news I read, the more I see a backlash of violence within the U.S., a lot of which is based off of judgment, control and personal relationships.
October is National Bullying Prevention Month, according to pacer.org (Parent Advocacy Coalition for Educational Rights).
In 2006, what started as one day of unity, evolved into a month of awareness. Often overlooked and thought of as a right of passage into adulthood, thousands of teens are bullied every day at school. According to pacer.org, 16,000 students stay home from school because they are afraid of being bullied.
Less than 20 percent of schools offer comprehensive protections for students being bullied, especially those within the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community.
Tomorrow is Spirit Day, organized by GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) to take a stand against bullying. Spirit Day came to be in 2010 in the wake of multiple suicides from LGBT individuals who were bullied within their school and work communities.
Supporters are encouraged to wear purple to stand in solidarity with those who are victims of anti-gay bullying.
A staggering 85 percent of students report being harassed in school because of their real or perceived sexual orientation, 64 percent of students report being harassed for being too masculine of feminine, according to GLSEN.org (Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network).
The notion that someone can physically or emotionally harass another based on what they “should” look like or do is disheartening. Even though we are living in the 21st Century, there is still division, even something so primitive as picking on the “lesser being.”
“Everyone has a right to peaceful coexistence, the basic personal freedoms, the alleviation of suffering, and the opportunity to live a productive life,” President Jimmy Carter said.
As humans, everyone has a right to live their life as fully and healthily as possible. However, when another controls someone’s life, basic rights are being violated. In a study conducted by the cyberbullying Research Center, 20 percent of respondents reported seriously thinking about attempting suicide while 19 percent reported attempting suicide because of bullying, both cyber-and non-cyber.
Hurts that are caused by bullying have lasting effects on the victims emotionally and physically with the potential to create a cycle of violence or even result in suicide.
Verbal and physical harassment are often overlooked and justified in today’s current society. Brushed off as sarcasm or “joking around” bullying should not be taken lightly and that violent or aggressive behavior one day will affect someone for the rest of his or her life.
Speaking out against harassment and showing non-violent conflict resolution can change the face of communication for generations to come.