Does the Martial Arts Industry Own the Anti-Bullying Market? Some questions and stats, and one awesome resource.

I am always stunned when I read the statistics on bullying in America. I’m also too often disheartened by news stories about youth violence, triggered by some form of bullying or hazing.

During the years, there has been much talk about bullying and the martial arts, but I wonder how much the martial arts industry knows about bullying education. I also wonder about the part that bully prevention plays in our marketing and enrollments and how many anti-bullying tools the average instructor has at his or her disposal.

Do you know how to talk about bullying, non-violently, in a way that is relevant today? Do you know how to teach people to avoid and/or deal with bullying, from all sides?  Do your staff members know as much as you?

Read the statistics below-and then look for one amazing and powerful anti-bullying resource I’ve discovered-at the end of this article.

Bullying Statistics

• Thirty percent (30%) of U.S. students in grades six through ten are involved in moderate or frequent bullying-as bullies, victims or both.

• Bullying is increasingly viewed as an important contribution to youth violence, including homicide and suicide. Case studies of the shootings at Columbine High School in Colorado and other U.S. schools have suggested that bullying was a factor in many of these incidents.

• One of four children is bullied. The U.S. Justice Department states that, during the next month, one of every four kids will be abused by another youth. One of five kids admits to being a bully, or doing some “bullying.”

• Surveys show that 77% of students are bullied mentally, verbally and physically.

• Eight percent of students miss one day of class per month for fear of bullies.

• Forty-three percent fear harassment in school bathrooms.

• A poll of teens, ages 12-17, proved that they think violence increased at their schools.

• More than 280,000 students are physically attacked in secondary schools each month.

• Playground statistics: Every seven minutes a child is bullied. Adults intervene four percent of the time, peers, 11% and no interventions, 85%.

• School crime and safety: 46% of males and 26% of females reported that they had been in physical fights. (U. S. Bureau of Justice Statistics)

• Thirty-two percent of parents fear for their child’s physical safety at school. Thirty-nine percent of parents, with a child in grade six or higher, are more likely to say they fear for their child’s safety. Twenty-two percent of parents whose children are in grade five or lower fear for their child’s safety. (“Parents Not Overly Concerned About School Environments for Their Children,” Gallup News Service)

• Research shows that those who bully and are bullied appear to be at greatest risk of experiencing the following: loneliness, trouble making friends, lack of success in school and involvement in problem behaviors, such as smoking and drinking. (Addressing the Problem of Juvenile Bullying, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention)

• Seventy-four percent of 8- to 11-year-old students said teasing and bullying occur at their schools. (Talking With Kids About Tough Issues: A National Survey of Parents and Kids, Kaiser Family Foundation and Nickelodeon)

I was recently introduced to one of the coolest bullying-education resources; it’s zoomvita.org. Zoom is a verb, which means to “make larger,” and vita is Latin for “life.” The site is a must-see for all martial arts professionals.

“Kids and parents must know all about bullying before they become victims-or bullies.”

All of us must be very proactive about bullying education. Kids and parents must know all about bullying before they become victims-or bullies. You’ll find that zoomvita.org addresses bullying issues from a young-adult perspective. The materials available on this site will no doubt complement and greatly enhance what you already use (or will use) in your bully-education program.