Topical Issue: Bullying… Would You Confront It If You See It Happening? Check Out This Provocative Ad That Indicates Most Won’t!

Hi, this is Brentt Eads of Extra Inning Softball.

Sadly, as we cover the sport of fastpitch softball from ages 8 to adulthood, the issues that impact society aren’t except from reaching our players, including the younger ones.

One of the worst of our societal ills is bullying, including the growing plague of cyber-bulling, which seems to be becoming a growing epidemic in our country among young people, to the horrific point of children and teens feeling so tormented physically, emotionally and in other ways that they feel taking their life is the only retreat from the pain.

Did you know…

… bullying is the #1 act of violence against young people in America today? (Source: nobully.org)

Covering the sport on a daily basis as we do–talking to young athletes, their parents, family members and coaches–I can attest that it definitely is in our sport.

Personally, as a football player many years ago I was bullied by a teammate; in the past year my elementary son was bullied on the playground. It’s not new, of course, but it seems to be reaching new levels of persistence, cruelty and intensity… and that includes impacting the softball world.

Why am I posting this now?

Because I have covered THREE stories of softball players who’ve taken their lives because of bullying and am seeing an increase of stories of students and athletes who are suffering because of this. This has GOT to stop!

It’s gut-wrenching and devastating to talk to parents who have lost their children to suicide because of bullying and if a life can be saved because we’re being proactive in thinking of this, then it’s time to talk more about it.

And not just watch and let it go on uncontested…

Here are some stunning stats from AntiBullyingInstitute.org… according to the National Education Association, PACER Center, and StopBullying.gov… please take the time to read every bullet item and let it sink in for a moment…

• 1 in 7 students in grades K – 12 are either a bully or have been a victim of bullying.
• An estimated 160,000 U.S. children miss school every day due to fear of attack or intimidation by other students.
• 83% of girls and 79% of boys report experiencing harassment.
• Six out of 10 teenagers say they witness bullying in school once a day.
• 35% of kids have been threatened online.
• Nearly 9 out of 10 LGBTQ youth report being verbally harassed at school in the past year because of their sexual orientation.
• 57% of boys and 43% of girls reported being bullied because of religious or cultural differences.
• Bullies often go on to perpetrate violence later in life: 40% of boys identified as bullies in grades 6 through 9 had three or more arrests by age 30.
• One out of every 10 students who drop out of school does so because of repeated incidents of bullying.
• 75% of shooting incidents at schools have been linked to bullying and harassment.
• 64% of children who were bullied did not report it.
• Nearly 70% of students think schools respond poorly to bullying.
• When bystanders intervene, bullying stops within 10 seconds 57% of the time.

In regards to the last item, when bullies are confronted the incident usually is halted quickly more than half the time! But how often does a third party get involved? Would you?

Look at this compelling social experiment by Burger King–yes, a fast-food restaurant–from a year ago which some have seen but many have not.

The company showed that people are MUCH more likely to stand up and do something when their hamburger is bullied (watch the ad, it will make sense!) than when a high school student is bullied!

There are times, obviously, when discretion is advised and getting involved could worsen the situation, but almost always when a bully is confronted he or she backs down.

Something to think about, especially if we see it in our world of athletes interacting with their peers.