Title
To recognize National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month in the City of Columbus and to thank Eryn Pink Ltd. for their commitment to empowering others to be a voice against bullying.
Body
WHEREAS, bullying is comprised of direct behaviors such as teasing, taunting, threatening, hitting, and stealing that are initiated by one or more individuals against a target, as well as indirect behaviors such as spreading rumors and acting in ways that cause people to be socially isolated through intentional exclusion, with all such behaviors, direct or indirect, amounting to physical, emotional or psychological intimidation occurring repeatedly over time to create an ongoing pattern of harassment and abuse; and
WHEREAS, people who stand by passively watching or actively encouraging bullying, also known as bystanders are also affected by these hostile acts; they encourage bullying by creating an audience, they may become desensitized to cruelty, they may learn to imitate bullying behavior and become bullies themselves, and/or they may be fearful for their own safety, adding to their own insecurity; and
WHEREAS, bullying in schools and the workplace is a pervasive problem that can have negative consequences for the climate and for the right to learn and work in a safe environment without fear, and one that can have negative lifelong consequences, both for those who bully and for their targets; and
WHEREAS, cyber-bullying in some ways has become the predominant issue facing society; cyber-bullying is interpersonal and includes aggressors, targets and bystanders; it involves peer acceptance, recognition and occasionally retribution; cyber-bullying generally contains perceptual distortions, however children who are involved with cyber-bullying other children often do so with the misplaced belief that they are joking; and
WHEREAS, Columbus City Council and the City of Columbus supports policies and programs that address the prevention, intervention, and elimination of bullying; the city established The Commission on Black Girls COBG in July of 2018 to study and assess the quality of life of Black Girls in Columbus and Central Ohio; the COBG report issued in July of 2020 found that 45.9% of Black Girls in Columbus indicated that they have been bullied at school; 20% reported being bullied directly on social media, 22% reported being bullied because of their skin color and 9% bullied and harassed because of their skin tone; and
WHEREAS, the COBG also provides resources and identifies organizations that address bullying, self-harming behaviors, suicide, child maltreatment, and prevention services; and to that end this Council is recognizing the work of Eryn PiNK Ltd. which has been serving girls and teens in this community since 2011 through its school programs, community workshops, events, and speaking engagements - teaching girls to live on PURPOSE; their “Lunch Box Girl Talk School Program” challenges the narrative of what it means to be a girl in today’s society; inspiring girls to set standards and expectations that align with their values and morals, encouraging confidence so that they can confront stereotypes and peer pressure, and be empowered to find ways to use their voices; and
WHEREAS, the Eryn PiNK Lunch Box Girl Talk School Program is an interactive program which helps students to learn about the different types of bullying, to identify the importance of treating people fairly and to determine how and when they should intervene or prevent bullying; through their reflection they learn how to become leaders and prevent situations that appear to be bullying from taking place; and
WHEREAS this Council will continue to work with the appropriate agencies and organizations in a national effort to inform the general public about the risks and cost of bullying for both the bully and the target, as well as those who witness bullying, and bring about a change in societal attitudes toward bullying, now therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS: That this Council does hereby, recognize National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month in the City of Columbus and thank Eryn Pink Ltd. for their commitment to empowering others to be a voice against bullying.