Read about how compassion can change a bully for the better.
For Mills, putting power into students' hands works best. "As officers, we're there to help however we can and to provide materials and resources," he says, "but we're also hoping to help kids deal with these issues individually and as a student body." Case in point: Empowered Student Partnerships (ESP). In this program, a ballot box is set up so kids can anonymously drop off notes with their concerns on anything from bullying to gang violence, and the members of ESP and the student council meet to discuss and determine a plan of action.
Where officers will step in, Mills says, is when bullying becomes abuse and crosses the line. "Physical incidents and bodily contact warrant police action and in some cases arrests," he says, adding that parents should call the police if they suspect their child is being hurt. "Even if all that comes from the call is your child opening up and starting to stop the bullying, it's more than worth it."
What to do when bullying leads to harassment or assault
Knowing when to report bullying can be difficult, but here are a few guidelines:
• if your child shows signs of physical abuse such as scratches, bruising, torn clothes, etc.;
• if your child is afraid to go to school or asks to switch schools;
• if other attempts at rectifying the situation haven't worked and the bullying is getting worse; and
• if there's a chance reporting the incident(s) will lessen the chance of it happening again.
Encourage your child to report bullying to people they trust -- whether that's you, a school teacher or youth worker, the police, or anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 222-TIPS. And if they don't feel comfortable talking about it, ask them to write their feelings down, along with what's happened, so you can use it as a reference in the future.
Read more:
How to deal when people cross the line
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