DAVIS COUNTY ó More than just a bad childhood memory, bullying can sometimes end a childhood all together. At last weekís Davis Chamber of Commerce Women In Business Luncheon, social worker Brienne K. Schilling and high school student Megan Leonardi emphasized that bullying was a serious problem that touched everyoneís lives. A slide show of kids and teens who had either committed suicide or been killed because of bullying underscored their message. ìSixteen kids a year commit suicide because of bullying-related issues,î said Leonardi, who had been so bullied at her private school that she had to switch schools. She added that the problems that came from bullying went far beyond the school hallways. ìThereís no question that, if something isnít done to promote change, bullying will affect your life.î ##M:MORE##

The two emphasized that bullying was not harmless schoolyard teasing but rather, as Schilling defined it, ìa conscious, willful and deliberate act intended to harm or induce fear through threat of aggression.î

She also outlined the different types of bullying, explaining that the most well known type, physical bullying, was also the least common. The other two types, physical and relational (becoming friends with someone for the sole purpose of humiliating them later) are less visible but can be just as harmful. Such bullying, they added, can also occur in the workplace.

The biggest focus, however, was on what people such as those at the Women in Business luncheon could do to help combat bullying. Schilling offered a list of warning signs that a child is being bullied, including sudden stomach and headaches, showing an abrupt lack of interest in school, or stopping talking about everyday activities.

They also mentioned the importance of making sure the bully works through whatever is causing him to be so cruel to someone else.

ìIf we simply extend a hand of friendship to the victim, the bully will just find someone else to pick on,î said Schilling.

In the end, though, the important thing is to speak up.

ìSilence only makes the bully stronger and encourages their behavior,î said Schilling. ìGo get some help.î