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Stand Up to Bullying!


Girl Scouts recognize Bullying Awareness Week November 15-21

NOVEMBER 2009

Because young girls, teens and even adults can become victims of relational aggression, Girl Scouts across the state of Louisiana are looking at ways of combating the issue locally.  The week of November 15-21 is Bullying Awareness Week with this year’s theme “Stand Up to Bullying,” and Girl Scouts Louisiana East and Girl Scouts of Louisiana – Pines to the Gulf, have joined forces to tackle the issue.

“Bullying can take many forms, but girls are more likely to use subtle, indirect, and emotional forms of aggression than boys,” said Yvette Hairston, vice president of program at Girl Scouts Louisiana East.  “This relational aggression harms girls by damaging, threatening, or manipulating their relationship with peers, as well as injuring a girl’s feelings of social acceptance.” 

According to recent studies, cyber-bullying is widespread among today’s teens, with over one-third having experienced it, engaged in it, or know of friends who have done either.  A substantial amount of teens agree that bullying online is worse than bullying in person.

Girl Scouts Louisiana East is in the process of designing a program for girls 11 to 17 that will help them recognize the signs of relational aggression (R.A.) and to learn skills to successfully overcome the effects in a positive manner by: learning about relational aggression and how girls gossip, exclude and tease to hurt each other; know what to do when they see someone using R.A.; and help them develop true friendships that build everyone up. 

In addition to Girl Scout troops utilizing the materials, the anti-bullying program is being marketed to both public and private schools in Girl Scouts Louisiana East’s 23-parish jurisdiction. Schools interested in assisting Girl Scouts with this initiative may contact Marianne Addy, Vice President of Communications, at Girl Scouts Louisiana East at (504) 733-8220 or (800) 644-7571, ext. 2226.  The local council, Girl Scouts Louisiana East, serves girls 5 to 17 in the parishes of Ascension, Assumption, East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, Pointe Coupee, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Helena, St. James, St. John, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne, Washington, West Baton Rouge, and West Feliciana. Information is also available on the council’s website at www.gsle.org.

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Media contact: Marianne Addy, VP of Communications
(504) 733-8220, ext. 2226 or maddy@gsle.org  or Cathy Pottschmidt, Public Relations Specialist, at (225) 927-8947, ext. 1238 or cpottschmidt@gsle.org

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