Celebrities STOMP Out Bullying With Love Our Children USA

NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg proclaims October 5th BLUE SHIRT DAY

Released on: September 28, 2009, 11:24 pm
Author: Love Our Children USA
Industry: Non Profit

NEW YORK September 28 2009: Love Our Children USA announced that NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg is proclaiming October 5th BLUE SHIRT DAY to signify the importance of National Bullying Prevention Awareness Week, October 4th – 10th.

Love Our Children USA created National Blue Shirt Day on Monday, October 5th, where thousands of kids and adults will wear blue shirts as they make their way to school or to the office as a grassroots national movement to STOMP Out Bullying.

The organization launched the STOMP Out Bullying Campaign in October, 2008 and its new dedicated Web Site this past Monday. STOMP Out Bullying focuses its efforts to reduce Bullying and Cyberbullying, decrease school absenteeism and truancy, educate against homophobia and racism and deter violence in schools, playgrounds and communities across the country. To date over 53,000 have committed to STOMP Out Bullying on the site.

It’s not just our politicians who support STOMP Out Bullying an initiative of Love Our Children USA, but celebrities are out in full force to help.

Teen Celebrities Demi Lovato, JoJo and the latest children’s sensation The Oogieloves participate in the public service campaign which includes TV spots, videos, posters, brochures and wristbands. Additional celebrities such as Brittany Snow, Naturally 7 and others are slated to join the ongoing campaign created by the Geppetto Group.

In order to raise funds for bullying and cyberbullying prevention, education and peer mentoring in schools, Love Our Children USA is holding its Second Annual Celebrity STOMP Out Bullying Auction on CharityFolks from October 5th –16th.

This year’s celebrity contributors include: Elton John, Billy Joel, Bette Midler, Ellen Degeneres, Phil Collins, Demi Lovato, Kelly Clarkson, Daughtry, Bryan Adams, Metallica, Guster, Dancing With The Stars, American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, Bye Bye Birdie, Rock Of Ages, the NJ Nets and more.

“Kids who are intimidated, threatened, or harmed by bullies often experience low self-esteem and depression, whereas those doing the bullying may go on to engage in more serious antisocial behaviors. Some kids are so traumatized by being bullied, that they contemplate suicide. Bullies often have been the victims of bullying or other mistreatment themselves” said Ross Ellis, Love Our Children USA Founder and Chief Executive Officer. This campaign’s key purpose is to educate those kids who are being bullied and those who are bullying, that there are choices for them to get help.

Bullying can be so painful and clearly has played a role in school shootings across the country. While boys are more physical, girls use weapons, exclusion, slander, rumors and gossip.

And cyberbullying is on the rise. This social online cruelty is used in the forms of e-mail, cell phone; pager text messages, instant messaging, defamatory personal Web sites, and defamatory online personal polling Web sites, deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior, and is used by an individual or group -- intended to harm others – especially amongst our youth. While most kids use the Internet for friendly interactions, more and more kids are using these communication tools to antagonize, terrorize and intimidate others.

Add that to the hazing going on in high schools and the kids who bring guns to school and our kids are in even more danger of emotional and physical harm.

Bullying Statistics
• 1 out of 4 kids is Bullied.
• 1 out of 5 kids admits to being a bully, or doing some "Bullying."
• 282,000 students are physically attacked in secondary schools each month.
• More youth violence occurs on school grounds as opposed to on the way to school.
• 1/3 of students surveyed said they heard another student threaten to kill someone.
• As many as 160,000 students may stay home on any given day because they're afraid of their bullies due to the pain of bullying.

Cyberbullying Statistics
• 42% of kids have been bullied while online. 1 in 4 have had it happen more than once.
• 35% of kids have been threatened online. Nearly 1 in 5 have had it happen more than once.
• 21% of kids have received mean or threatening e-mail or other messages.
• 58% of kids admit someone has said mean or hurtful things to them online.

Hazing Statistics
• 1.5 million high school students are hazed each year
• 91% of all H.S. students belong to at least one group, and half of them, 48% report being subjected to hazing activities.
• 43% were subjected to humiliating activities and 30% performed potentially illegal acts as part of their initiation

All of this has everyone worried. Not just the kids on its receiving end, but the parents, teachers and others who may not understand how extreme bullying can get. Love Our Children USA is working aggressively to prevent these issues and to help the kids and teens affected by it.

Ellis said “STOMP Out Bullying brings awareness and educates kids, parents and schools about the issue. It offers hope for every kid who experiences the harmful effects of bullying and teaches parents to keep open communication with their children and to look for signs. It also educates school administrators across the country, who have swept this issue under the rug for too long.”

She also added, “Bullying is a form of child abuse and bullies are very likely to grow up as adults who abuse children. By educating our children, we can stop the bullying BEFORE it ever starts. We are grateful to the entertainment industry and with their help we can keep kids safe across the country.”

More information about bullying and how to help your children and students can be found at www.loveourchildrenusa.org and www.stompoutbullying.org

About Love Our Children USA
Love Our Children USA is the national nonprofit leader that honors, respects and protects children. Its mission is to break the cycle of violence against children. Love Our Children USA has become ‘the go-to’ prevention organization for all forms of violence and neglect against children in the U.S. Working to eliminate behaviors that keep children from reaching their potential, it redefines parenting and creates kid success by promoting prevention strategies and positive changes in parenting and family attitudes and behaviors through public education. Empowering and supporting children, teens, parents and families through information, resources, advocacy, and online youth mentoring. Its message is positive ...one of prevention, empowerment and hope. Since 1999, Love Our Children USA has paved the way in the prevention of violence and neglect against children … keeping children safe and strengthening families.

###

Contact: Media Relations

Love Our Children USA
1.888.347.KIDS (5437) / 212.629.2099
media@loveourchildrenusa.org