6 Tips to Prevent and Respond to Bullying
Hi Everyone!
As mentioned in my last blog post, I’ve spent the past 17 years studying bullying behaviors.
The good news is that research helps us build a community dedicated to creating a kinder, braver world. We couldn’t do research if we didn’t have people who participate in research studies and share their experiences. That’s how we learn! From all this research, we know a lot about why bullying happens. We also know how to prevent bullying, the importance of positive social support, and how to get help when you need it. Recent research on bullying has shown that bullying is starting to decrease. While this is great news, if you’re experiencing bullying, you want it to stop. Today, I’m going to be talking about how we can prevent bullying from happening in our schools and communities. Here are a few tips:
1. Start by making a commitment to be kind to everyone.
2. Get involved in campaigns to stop bullying, like “Stop Bullying” (www.stopbullying.gov) or “No Place for Hate” (www.adl.org/npfh) or “Love has No Labels” (www.lovehasnolabels.com). Start a local chapter in your school or workplace.
3. When you see bullying or cruel behavior, be brave and speak out. Support the person who is being bullied. When a group of people stand up to bullying, the power dynamic can shift and bullying can be neutralized.
4. If you experience bullying, document what’s happening and then tell an adult or someone who can help. School psychologists, school counselors, and school social workers have received training in anti-bullying strategies. In the workplace you can call your Employee Assistance Program (EAP). There are EAP counselors who can help with harassment, intimidation, and discrimination. You can find other sources of support here: https://bornthisway.foundation/
5. Surround yourself with people you can trust. You can’t control the actions of others. Unfortunately, there will always be people who are unkind; however, YOU can chose not to let them in your life.
6. Focus on what matters most: your creativity, your education, your work, your hobbies, your volunteer activities, and the positives in your life. Focus on your passions!
If you want to read more about bullying, check out this article and this book.
With Gratitude,
Dr. Sue
Hi Everyone!
We’re excited to roll out Born This Way Foundation’s first blog!! I’m Dr. Sue Swearer (or, Dr. Sue for those who met me on the Born Brave Bus and as Cynthia likes to call me!).
My hope for “It’s about YOU: Creating a Kinder, Braver World” is that we can share both the research and your individual experiences on the blog. Before I dive into that, here’s a little more about me:
- I’m a licensed psychologist and a professor of school psychology at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln.
- I started teaching at UNL in 1997 and I conduct research at The Empowerment Initiative Lab on bullying and related experiences.
- I’ve been involved with BTWF since the launch at Harvard University in 2012 and I’m the chair of the Foundation’s Research Advisory Board.
- I’m a Mom with two daughters.
It’s been really great to work with Cynthia, Lady Gaga, and the Foundation staff on planning and evaluating programming that BTWF is doing. I’ve always been so impressed that a major goal of BTWF is to keep current with the research and to study ways to empower all of us to create a kinder and braver world.
With Gratitude,
Dr. Sue