Note: This blog post was originally published October 25, 2017 and has been updated and republished on October 10, 2018 in honor of domestic violence awareness month.

The Link Between Bullying, Domestic Violence, and Sexual Harassment

Bullying is the birthplace of critical societal problems. How are they related and what can we do about it? We’re at the end of October where we’ve engaged in a lot of discussion about bullying on social media. As it turns out, not only is October Bullying Awareness Month, it’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month as well. What’s also front and center in the news today is sexual abuse in the workplace. These serious societal issues are all directly related, so let’s put it all together and take a look at what causes bullying as well as ways to minimize it.

The emotional damage to individuals who experience these abuses are profound.

In episode 42 of Healthy Family Connections, Neil discusses:

• the link between strong parenting and reduction in bullying behaviors
• creating attachment through caring and showing genuine interest in a child’s life
• using restorative justice practices instead of punishment to turn instances of bullying into moments of growth
• establishing respect and accountability in families and organizations
• forging paths to healing from trauma
• developing empathetic strategies for real behavioral change that lasts

Neil Says:

"Children who are parented with strong, secure attachment to their caregivers are the least likely to bully or to be bullied."

"Provide an environment that communicates to children that their feelings matter."

"As a culture, let's talk about our values of mutual respect. Let's be sure that we have clear standards that we articulate and communicate and have accountability to."

"In our schools, let's make sure that our values and standards are not only signs on the walls. Let's make sure that they're in the discipline policies and the disciplinary actions."

Special thanks to Dr. Roxanne Rafiepour for her insight into bullying. Take a listen to this week’s episode to hear about the ways to manage and minimize bullying in detail.

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