Bullying and Suicide
While bullying doesn’t cause suicide, a stressful environment and persistent, emotional victimization can increase a person’s risk of suicide. If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or suicidal crisis, please call, text or chat with the crisis line at 988.
Learn How to Prevent Bullying
StopBullying.gov contains tools and resources to help to prevent bullying. This website emphasizes action steps individuals can take to prevent and stop bullying in their schools and communities. It also features easy-to-use tools and resources for community leaders, young people and families, including:
- How to recognize the warning signs and when to take action
- Tips to prevent bullying before it start
- How to implement strategies for intervention
- Information on bullying laws in your state
Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place using electronic technology. Examples of cyberbullying include mean text messages or emails, rumors sent by email or posted on social networking sites, and embarrassing pictures, videos, websites, or fake profiles.
Parents and kids can prevent cyberbullying by exploring safe ways to use technology.
- Be Aware of What Your Kids are Doing Online
- Establish Rules about Technology Use
- Understand School Rules
The Suicide Prevention Resource Center’s brief on Suicide and Bullying looks at the relationship between bullying and suicide in children and adolescents, the prevalence of these issues and explores common strategies in suicide prevention and bullying prevention. It includes a literature review of the issues of bullying and suicide in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBTQ) youth and recommended action steps for addressing these concerns.
The South Dakota Prevention Resource Centers have a number of resources for bullying prevention, including information on the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program.