Bullying an Ongoing Threat to Today's Teens

BURIEN, WA--(Marketwire - October 9, 2009) - Bullies used to simply shake down the weaker kids for lunch money, but these days, the bully business has gone online, and it's booming.

According to a 2009 survey of 2,000 middle school students by the Cyberbullying Research Center, 9.4 percent said they were recent victims of cyberbullying, while 17.3 percent claimed to be "lifetime" victims of online bullies.

Moreover, according to a recent Harris Interactive Cyberbullying Research Report, commissioned by the National Crime Prevention Council, 81 percent of teens surveyed find cyberbullying funny. Further, recent information on cyberbullying shows that it can lead to depression, anxiety, even suicide.

Jacquie Ream, author of the children's book "Bully Dogs," (www.reamink.com) feels very strongly about bullies. Rather than being statistical, Ream's concern about bullying is the real life effect it has on kids.

"Bullying is present in all children's lives, whether they are male or female, teens or younger, bullies or the bullied," she said. "It reigns on the schoolyard, in the classrooms, in the hallways, on sports teams, even on the Internet. Inside and outside of the classroom, kids are coming face to face with a new enemy, one who's often their age and their size. As parents and educators struggle to reach children who are being bullied, kids often end up dealing with bullies on their own."

The key part of the solution is for parents to be actively involved with their children, Ream added.

"In homes where the parents are less than attentive or are strict disciplinarians, there is room for the cultivation of a bully or a victim," she said. "That is not to say that it won't happen in other homes as well. Bullies actually tend to have high self-esteem, contrary to popular belief, and have a low tolerance for frustration. If their role models are angry, hot tempered or physically aggressive, they can be led to believe that this is the way to deal with your frustrations. This is not always the case, but it should be a consideration."

About Jacquie Ream

Jacquie Ream was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and raised in San Bernardino, CA. She received her Master's degree in creative writing from the University of Washington. Jacquie has written three children's books and numerous short stories.

Contact Information: Contact: Rachel Friedman Rachel@newsandexperts.com