STATE NEWS
PENNSYLVANIA
DELAWARE VALLEY, Pa., Aug. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Around
this time every year, parents get that gleam in their eyes just thinking
about the first day of school. Their daughters on the other hand,
may be less enthusiastic about returning. It may just be that they
are worrying about being bullied or teased.
Parents justifiably worry about physical safety
in school, but girls consider emotional safety just as important.
"Everyone knows about 'mean girls,' but parents may not realize the potential
long-term impact on their daughters and their sense of well-being of being
bullied or teased by other girls," said Sharon A. Smith, Chief Executive
Officer, Girl Scouts of Southeastern Pennsylvania.
According to a new study by the Girl Scout Research
Institute, in conjunction with Harris Interactive, Inc., being bullied
or teased makes girls feel unsafe emotionally, negatively impacting the
overall quality of their lives. Findings from "Feeling Safe: What
Girls Say" show that girls who feel unsafe are more likely to be depressed,
enter into risky behaviors, have difficulty forming friendships and experience
problems in school.
In addition girls who feel less safe are more
likely to long for attention, have problems making decisions, obtaining
social support and developing feelings of competency.
The study includes data from more than 2,300 girls
across the country ages 8-17.
"An important aspect of what the data shows is
that girls are uncomfortable with bullying, whether or not they were the
target," Smith added. "If shown that bullying can be stopped, how
to recognize it and what they can do when they observe it, girls are relieved
and feel more in control and safe," Smith continued.
Girls want to discuss the issues around teasing
and bullying but, according to the study, almost 25 percent of girls feel
that they do not know three adults they can go to for support. For
girls, however, it is trusting, positive relationships that make them feel
safe and secure.
Recommendations from the Girl Scout study
include these top 5 tips for adults:
1. Be proactive about how girls feel, even
if they are reluctant to talk. Don't assume you know what they consider
important, and don't expect them to automatically share their concerns
with parents or other adults.
2. Encourage working together to establish
guidelines for responsible behavior.
3. Realize that a safe physical location
is not enough. Trusted relationships, in which girls feel valued
and supported, are what make girls feel emotionally safe.
4. Take emotional harm seriously.
Typical environments, such as classrooms or sports fields often create
situations that cause girls anxiety. Hurtful teasing, gossiping and
name-calling should be addressed by adults and girls together.
5. Make safety a shared goal - one that
girls don't have to deal with alone. For example, adults in Girl
Scouting partner with girls and encourage them to share their real-life
concerns. Find these kinds of safe settings for your girls.
When teasing isn't funny:
8 reasons to take bullying seriously A recent
study of 2,341 girls from across the nation found that emotional safety
is just as important as physical safety. Girls who feel emotionally
unsafe (compared to those who feel safe):
1. feel sad
and depressed (38 % vs. 5%)
2. have
trouble paying attention in school (31% vs. 6%)
3. are more
likely to use drugs and alcohol (11% vs. 1%)
4. often
feel that there is no one to talk to (22% vs. 4%)
5. have
trouble making decisions (20% vs. 11%)
6. worry
about making new friends (42% vs. 23%)
7. eat more
or less than usual (29% vs. 13%)
8. worry
about finding adults to talk to and trust (38% vs. 17%)
Source: "Feeling Safe: What Girls Say,"
a study conducted by the Girl Scout Research Institute in conjunction with
Harris Interactive, Inc. For more information, call Girl Scouts of
Southeastern Pennsylvania at (215) 564-4657.
SOURCE Girl Scouts of Southeastern Pennsylvania
Web Site: http://www.gssp.orgYou
can also email bullypoliceusa@yahoogroups.com
for instructions.
