Tyler Clementi Foundation

I think it's important to share the stories of people who have been victims of bullying to help bring to light the problems bullying can cause and to help stop incidences like this from happening in the future.

Tyler Clementi was a smart and musically gifted student who, after graduating high school, went on to attend Rutgers University. Just a few days before he left for college, he came out to his parents about being gay. 

Unfortunately, because of his sexual orientation, Tyler became a victim of cyber bullying. His roommate at Rutgers set up a webcam to video Tyler while having sex. He then posted the video online encouraging others to watch. Just a few days later, Tyler jumped off the George Washington Bridge, killing himself at only 18 years-old.

It's too bad a closed-minded individual had to drive someone to suicide just because he was different. Check out the Tyler Clementi foundation which promotes safe and respectful social environments in homes, schools, churches, and online just to name a few. They are an ally to the LGBT youth community and anyone who supports them.



Click Here for the Tyler Clementi Foundation website

New Anchor Responds To Bullying Email

Jennifer Livingston, a news anchor for WKBT in Wisconsin, received an email regarding her weight that she decided to respond to on air, seeing as October National Bullying Prevention Month. This is the letter she received:

Hi Jennifer, It's unusual that I see your morning show, but I did so for a very short time today. I was surprised indeed to witness that your physical condition hasn't improved for many years. Surely you don't consider yourself a suitable example for this community's young people, girls in particular.

Obesity is one of the worst choices a person can make and one of the most dangerous habits to maintain. I leave you this note hoping that you'll reconsider your responsibility as a local public personality to present and promote a healthy lifestyle.

A piece of Jennifer's response was as follows:
You don't know me. You are not a friend of mine. You are not a part of my family. And you have admitted that you don't watch this show. So you know nothing about me but what you see on the outside. And I am much more than a number on the scale.

Jennifer also brought up the fact that such remarks are teaching children it's ok to bully, and that  you child might then go to school and call someone fat. 

I admire her strength to address something so personal in a public manner, and to turn it into a lesson for people everywhere. Check out the original article and the video attached of her public response.



Click Here for the original article

Anti-Bullying PSA Video

A great video for anyone who has felt the terrors of bullying. A lot of positive messages from some big name people, including those who have felt the effects of bullying like Ellen Degeneres or Adam Lambert. Take a look, and remember..


"You didn't do anything to deserve being bullied, and there is a whole world waiting for you filled with possibilities." - Barak Obama

"It gets better but it's up to you!" - Adam Lambert

Jamey Rodemeyer - It Gets Better

Jamey Rodemeyer was a 14 year old boy from Williamsville, NY. He was bisexual, and was bullied frequently. He blogged often about the troubles he was having with bullies and even made videos to help support and reach out to others that were feeling the same way. It was about a year ago that he ended up taking his own life because, as for many teens, the bullying was just too much for him to handle. Below is a video Jamey recorded to help reach out to others, though it's too bad he didn't take his own advice. Hopefully his message will reach out to someone who might be in the same position, but still has the option to choose life over suicide.

The Effect Of Bullying On A Child's Brain

There's a lot of great information on this site about bullying, how to prevent it, and how to help change situations. There's some great videos that address all sorts of subjects. As Carrie Goldman says bullying triggers the pain center of the brain in children, causing children to be more fearful and anxious in everyday situations. And the more the bullying happens, the smaller the trigger can be that will effect the behavior. She talks about a boy she interviewed who was bullied so badly as a child, that now, being a working adult, the smallest thing can cause paralyzing fear, like if someone even slightly questions his work. Any kind of remotely threatening situation can cause problems for people who have been bullied - that's why it's important to stop bullying, and to get psychological help for your children if you know they are being bullied (as well as if they are a bully!) to prevent things like personality or anxiety disorders later in life.

He's just a short list of tips for parents from Carrie Goldman:

-Recognize the problem

-Teach empathy

-Be present at your child's school

-Look for warning signs

-Create allies, not bystanders

-Block and delete online bullies

-Prevent against physical attack

-Get the school involved

Click Here for the original article

Cyber-Bullying Taking Tolls on Mental Health

St Patrick’s University Hospital (SPUH) is Ireland's biggest independent mental health service provider. In recent months, they've noticed the increased effects cyber bullying has been having. Four out of every five teenagers seen by SPUH were recent victims of cyber bullying.

The problem, as Prof. Jim Lucey notes, is that cyber bullying could worsen pre-existing mental health problems. And that, unlike bullying in schools, there's no escape. Once something is online it's there for good. Just a week ago a teenager from Leitrim country, Ireland took her life. The investigation continues looking into bullying comments made about her on the social media site "ask.fm".

Below are some tips that can be found in the article from the Irish Examiner. 


Online Safety Tips: 

* Open conversations from an early age about responsible use of the internet are key. Young people are the experts and the internet is no longer based on a desktop. 

* Talk to young people about the impact of words written online. Explain hurtful things have just as negative an effect online as offline. 

* Build up trust with young people, so they know they have a trusted adult to talk to if they come across something online that upsets them. 

* You won’t be able to control everything young people do and say, so ensure they know how to stay safe and are aware of dangers such as sharing too much information or in-person meetings with strangers they met online; 

* Teach children about responsible commenting that respects others’ rights not to be harmed. 

* Ensure they can block/report. 



Click Here for the original article

Cyber Bullying Story - Ryan Halligan

Check out this video, it's really too bad. But a father who lost his son to bullying shares his story, and gives advice to a group of kids to not follow in his 13 year-old sons, or his son's bullies, footsteps. It's really too bad when someone so young chooses to take their life because of a bully. 

"What a terrible mistake my son made. And I pray that any person in this audience that feels the way Ryan felt, that you give life a chance. And I promise you things work out in the long run. You haven't lived long enough to know that this is such a short period of your life... Sure it might have been a hell-hole, but it's not forever and things do get better if you give it a chance."   - John Halligan