As B.C. marks the 16th anniversary of Pink Shirt Day, one professor says bullying underlies many of the province's social problems, including domestic violence, dating violence, gang violence and youth suicides.
Police in Surrey and Vancouver are highlighting a series of recent attacks involving groups of teens targeting individuals, along with the message that for parents, now is the time to talk to teens about this type of incident.
Photo: iStockPhoto
Travis Price was bullied relentlessly as a child. It started in grade one, with kids calling him “toilet paper” because his initials are TP. By grade three, he was getting beaten up on the playground, and he ended up in the hospital after some particularly vicious attacks. When he reached high school, which coincided with the
advent of social media, he was cyberbullied. “It was very difficult on me and my family,” says Price, now a 29-year-old bullying prevention and mental health advocate based in Coldbrook, NS. “I was forced to grow up very quickly to protect myself, avoid these situations and try to come to terms with why this was happening to me.”