Bully

Thanks to The Bully Project for sponsoring my writing. Visit their website to join the movement and learn more.

I remember her well. She thought I wanted to be with her boyfriend. I didn't. For most of my senior year I tried my hardest to avoid her but she made it very hard. In her car she would follow me home which always freaked me out. She never touched me but she had me very afraid she would. I thought it was all over when I graduated until a chance encounter at a restaurant and she followed me to my apartment. I had enough and told her to just leave me alone. Maybe it wasn't worth her time anymore because she thankfully did but others aren't so lucky.

Now I am a strong 41 year old woman but back then I probably had self esteem and confidence issues. If there would have been more open communication with my parents maybe I wouldn't have walked around looking over my should for over a year. Who knows. What I do know is that I am now raising 3 little girls who I never want to go though what I did. I want them to be strong and comfortable enough to come to me if something does happen. To provide them with a home that makes them feel loved and safe. I can't protect them all the time though but I will do whatever I can for them and their classmates.




Just recently a 17 year old girl in our area took her life because of bullying. My heart just breaks when I think of what her family must be going through right now and how much they are hurting. Those hateful words exchanged that brought her to the point that she didn't think she could go on. Then I wonder about the girls that were bullying her. Where were their parents? How did it get that far? A few weeks ago some kids videotaped a bullying incident on their bus ride home. The district had a Zero Tolerance policy for bullying. It is one thing to say that but bullying still happens unfortunately. It's got to stop! My favorite line from the trailer below "If we all do it together we will change the world!" That would be a very nice world wouldn't it?

This year, over 13 million American kids will be bullied, making it the most common form of violence young people in the U.S. experience. Sad isn't it? The Bully Project highlights solutions that both address immediate needs and lead to systemic change. Bully is a character-driven documentary—at its heart are those with the most at stake and whose stories each represent a different facet of this bullying crisis. Bully will be in theaters on April 13, 2012 and I believe it is a must see for kids AND parents.




I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. Find showings in your area for The Bully Project and buy tickets here.