SEATTLE, Jan. 24, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- We hear a lot about bullying these days: its prevalence, its causes, its effects. Less frequently do we hear about solutions to bullying: tangible, practical things we can do to keep our children safe.
Last week Seattle-based nonprofit Committee for Children unveiled a multimedia campaign called "Stop Bullying." They have partnered with Seattle-based media company Fisher Communications to get the word out. The campaign consists of television and radio spots hosted by news anchor Eric Johnson and a dedicated Web page with more detailed, research-based information, providing parents with ideas for realistic actions they can take to prevent and cope with bullying.
"The best part about this campaign is the message that we're all in this together," says Joan Cole Duffell, Executive Director at Committee for Children. "If we want to put a stop to bullying, vilifying schools or parents won't help. Instead, these messages stress that the best way to stop bullying is to work together, and then they outline simple, positive steps adults can take to address the problem.
Committee for Children is considered a leader in the field of bullying prevention, having created research-based social-emotional learning materials for 35 years. Their Steps to Respect bullying prevention program was the subject of a recent 33-school randomized-controlled trial—the first of its kind to show significant reductions in aggression among American schoolchildren.
Mia Doces, bullying prevention expert at Committee for Children, explains, "When parents see these messages on TV or hear them on the radio, they'll get a couple of small suggestions for things they can do to help stop bullying. Then, they can go to the Web site to get more detailed information. For example, parents learn in the TV and radio spots that by talking to their children on a regular basis, they will keep the lines of communication open and make it more likely that bullying will be reported to them. On the website, they will be directed to specific questions and conversation starters that will help support these conversations."
About Committee for Children
Seattle-based nonprofit Committee for Children is the world's leading provider of educational programs for preschool through Grade 8 that teach social-emotional skills to prevent bullying and violence and promote academic achievement. Today, Committee for Children is helping more than 9 million students in 25,000 schools in 70 countries around the globe make friends, respect themselves and others, succeed in school today and build a better world tomorrow. To learn more, go to www.cfchildren.org.
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