Bullying is a form of youth violence that is widespread across the United States. According to CDC’s bullying fact sheet, common factors that are associated with children that engage in these behaviors include impulsivity, harsh parenting by caregivers, and attitudes accepting violence. Children that are bully-victims are often associated with having friendship problems, poor self-esteem, and quiet and passive personalities that lack assertiveness. Bullying takes place every day in elementary, secondary, and high schools throughout the nation and crosses racial, ethnic and economic lines.

 

The Indian Health Service (IHS) is promoting bullying awareness for Native American youth and those who serve them such as tribal health departments staff and educators. The IHS Division of Behavioral Health, the Youth Advisory Council, Indian Health Board of Nevada, and the National Museum of the American Indian have partnered to raise awareness about theses popular problems affecting today’s youth, which can be in the forms of verbal, social, physical, and cyberbullying.  Such behaviors can lead to emotional stress, depression, and anxiety and could increase a person’s risk of suicide. Although a growing problem in Indian country, IHS aims to show that bullying is not Native, and it doesn’t does not honor the traditions or culture of Native people. Click here to view IHS' public service announcement about standing up against bullying or for more details about IHS’s measures to prevent bullying.

 

Check out what the Director of IHS, Dr. Yvette Roubideaux, is saying about bullying in Indian Country on her blog. 

 

For more resources on bullying and youth violence prevention, please go to PHF’s online store.