One of the saddest facts about bullying is that bullies most often target students who are already feeling left out and have low self esteem. These students are less likely to stand up to the bully, so if no one else steps in and it gets worse, they’ll become even more ostracized and develop even worse self esteem. Bullying has been shown to have long-term effects on mental health and wellness, even into adulthood, so stopping it before it starts can make a big difference in the lives of those students who are spared this horrible experience.

So how do you stop bullying? Bullying doesn’t just start in a vacuum. Students who bully tend to be those who cause trouble in other ways. They are encouraged by their friends, who are likely to participate in bullying as well. But what allows bullying to grow is a culture of students and adults who look the other way when they suspect (or know first-hand) that bullying is going on.

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