Chayse Stasiuk of Lethbridge Family Services gave a presentation on bullying awareness Wednesday at Fort Macleod Library.
Fort Macleod residents were encouraged last week to act when they encounter bullying.
Chayse Stasiuk of Lethbridge Family Services said people should act when they are bullied or see someone else being bullied.
“Bullying needs to be taken seriously,” Stasiuk said. “It doesn’t go away on its own. The best way to make bullying stop is by intervention.”
Stasiuk was at Fort Macleod Library on Wednesday for a bullying awareness presentation.
Bullying is defined as any repeated hostile or demeaning behaviour intended to cause harm, fear or distress, including physical or psychological harm.
Bullying is mean, cruel, hurtful behaviour done by someone with more power than the victim, Stasiuk added.
“Bullying is something that is done on purpose,” Stasiuk said.
Stasiuk presented information compiled by Stats Canada in 2019 that indicate 71 per cent of youth aged 12 to 17 years had been bullied at least once in the previous year.
About 42 per cent of those youths reported being bullied monthly or more frequently.
The Alberta government reported 50 per cent of youth are bullied at school and 20 per cent while playing sports.
In Alberta, 45 per cent of adults report being bullied at work, and 20 per cent of seniors have been bullied in community spaces.
“There are so many different areas where people experience bullying,” Stasiuk said. “Bullying doesn’t stop when people become adults.”
Stasiuk said bullying takes many forms including physical emotional, psychological, social, discrimination, sexual harassment and date aggression.
Cyber-bullying through texts, e-mails, on social media and Web sites is on the rise in Canada.
Stasiuk said people should not let bullying continue.
“The longer it is left unchecked, the worse it can get,” Stasiuk said.
Someone who is being bullied should first ensure their own safety, then report it to someone in charge or a trusted and safe adult.
Victims should also get support from people they trust, and should not be afraid to ask for help.
Bullying can be stressful and harmful, so it is important for people to take care of their emotional, mental and physical health.
If you see someone being bullied and want to help, safety is once again the top priority.
“Active bystanders” or people willing to help someone being bullied, can do so by speaking up for the victim or calling 911 if the situation is violent and the person being bullied is in immediate danger.
People can also leave the scene to get help from someone with the skills and authority to intervene, such as a supervisor, teacher or coach.
People can also help by supporting the person targetted by the bully, by letting them know they don’t deserve such treatment and that it is not their fault.
Stasiuk said further help can be provided by including the person who was bullied in future activities and helping them to avoid people or places where trouble is likely.
Stasiuk talked about the rise in cyber-bullying.
“People will say things on the Internet because they don’t have to see the consequences of it,” Stasiuk said.
Steps should be taken to stop cyber-bullying, including reporting the behaviour, saving evidence such as texts or screen shots, and blocking the person doing the bullying.
People can also seek help from a variety of sources including the abuse help line at 1-855-443-5722; the family violence information line at 310-1818; the child abuse hot line at 1-800-387-5437; or the protection for persons in care reporting line at 1-888-357-9339.
In Alberta, 2-1-1 is a place where people can get direction to resources close to them.
Lethbridge Family Services urges people to act whenever they encounter bullying.
“We all have the right to feel safe in our workplaces, in our schools and in our communities,” Stasiuk said.
