by Kellie Davis

On January 14th, a young high school girl in Massachusetts responded to months of torment and abuse from fellow classmates by hanging herself in a stairwell. 15-year-old Phoebe Prince suffered unimaginable bullying from 9 classmates dubbed “The Mean Girls” including complaints of statutory rape, violation of civil rights, criminal harassment, and stalking.

All charges were ignored and no punishment was set forth against her violators by school officials.

Phoebe’s aunt allegedly warned the school prior to her enrollment that her niece was susceptible to bullying and needed looking after.  The school was also warned about patterns of abuse in schools that Phoebe attended in Ireland.

Bullying Leading to Suicide is Common

Sadly, Phoebe is not the first case of extreme bullying leading to suicide of a teen. In 2008, 15-year old freshman of Vasquez High School in California shot himself in the head while in the school bathroom after months of torment from other students.

Bullying lead Carl Walker-Hoover of Springfield, MA to take his own life at the age of 11 after daily taunting of being gay. Two weeks after Carl died, 17-year old Eric Mohat took his own life after being urged to do so by bullies.

Bullying is Often Overlooked

This phenomenon, known as “bullycide,” is all too common according to a study performed at Yale University in 2008. The study found that victims of bullying are 2 to 9 times more likely to have suicidal thoughts than other children. These children are driven beyond the ability to cope with systematic abuse and threats, seeing suicide as the only escape from torture.

Bullying is often dismissed as a ‘rite of passage’ in the world of children, and kids are told to toughen their skin and avoid tattling on other kids. The truth is, bullying is one of the most harmful acts students commit and seriously threatens the lives of children daily. Not only are children physically assaulted, but they also witness a devastating impact on their social and psychological well-being.

Parental and School Involvement

No child should have to succumb to the abuse that Phoebe or any of these countless other children witnessed, nor should any parent fear sending a child to school unprotected. Lack of community in schools causes tension between not only the students, but also the parents and teachers.

PTA organizations meet on a monthly basis to discuss fundraisers, plan events, and decide how and when to spend funds. However, strong issues like bullying and safety are seldom addressed.

Bullying should be addressed seriously and often during and after school. Teachers and parents should have the right to address concerns and be taken seriously when a child feels threatened. A child should also feel safe when telling an adult that he or she feels threatened, and know that they will be protected from harm.

Often, targets of bullying are dismissed or not taken seriously. They’re even afraid to approach authority for fear of being seen and “ratting out” the bully.  If no outcome arises from the confessed harassment, a likely reprisal from the bully will follow.

Cyber Bullying

Bullying not only needs to be addressed on school campuses, but also at home. The Internet opened up a whole new realm for torment with what is known as ‘cyber bullying.’  Bullying often follows students home through social networking sites, cell phones, or other electronic devices. Situations occur when children are repeatedly tormented or harassed through texting, emailing, instant messages, and social media forums.

Who is at risk of bullying?

Neil Marr and Tim Field, the pioneers who began Bullyonline.org, define a victim of bullying as one who “has a very low propensity to violence and a mature understanding of the need to resolve conflict with dialogue rather than violence.”  They believe that bullies exploit these cherished values, and torment their victims until anger builds up inside and the victim becomes explosive with anger. Often this anger is self-inflicted, leading to depression, self-inflicted harm, and even suicide.

How can you help?

Effective anti-bullying programs involve everyone in the community. Parents, students, teachers, and faculty alike all need to take a responsible roll when protecting children from harassment. Bullying is non-biased and can happen in any school to any child.

Begin speaking to your children about fairness and kindness at a very young age. Make them aware of what bullying is by the second or third grade, and teach them important lessons about citizenship, violence, and conflict-resolution.

Teachers should focus on inclusion and avoid separating or excluding children who don’t fit in from activities. Encourage skills that teach children to look after each other and feel empowered when protecting fellow classmates.  Children should learn to stand up for others rather than stand by and watch other get harmed.

Children should also understand that protecting others by telling an adult about bullying is not ‘tattling’ on classmates.  Sticking up for others is a brave and responsible thing to do and should be encouraged to come forward and protect others.

About Kellie

Kellie Davis is a graduate from Florida Gulf Coast University with a B.A. in English. She is now a freelance writer, contributor to the Olicious Life, and NPC figure competitor. She currently resides in Arizona with her husband and two young children.