Have you ever been bullied or seen someone being bullied? It happens quite often but rarely gets talked about, so let’s talk about it. 

Bullying is a serious concern around the world. But talking smaller, it’s a huge concern even in Merced, CA. You might not think so because Merced is a small community but there actually is a lot of bullying. Local schools have tried stopping this issue by promoting anonymous reporting systems. Things like apps, forms, websites, etc. Both Merced City School District and Merced Union High School District have created these things so people can report harassment, bullying and intimidation. 

Resources like these focus on safety, though some community members have reported to still have concerns about the effectiveness of these interventions. Although Merced is considered a good, and affordable town, it is still small and others have it harder so it isn’t a doubt that people are getting bullied. We often get told ways to shut down a bully, things like “Remaining calm” and saying “Stop, this is not okay”. But you also want to remain confident. Showing different behavior than what they are normal too, will affect the bully. Also remember, these bullies have feelings too and they might be doing this for a certain reason, try to also “kill them with kindness” as people say! 

These are things that can help you in the moment. But what about after? What about when you’re standing alone and you’re scared and you don’t know what to do? That’s what extra-curricular programs are for. Programs, at school or in the community, that work with bullying help avoid this and can help you feel like you’re not alone. Bullying affects people a lot and can make someone feel small, like they don’t matter. These programs can help people from more than just behind a screen or anonymously. Seeing that there are people out there that might go through the same things as you, is a huge impact on someone.