Bullying

Bullying is a widespread problem that affects thousands of teens across the United States and around the world. Victims of bullying battle depression, anxiety, insecurity, and fear. Sadly, some victims internalize their frustration by harming themselves or become bullies as well. But if young people agree that bullying is so devastating, why does it continue? Most importantly, how can it be stopped? In Bullying: The Ultimate Teen Guide, Mathangi Subramanian addresses these and other questions about a major issue for young adults and their families. Drawing on stories from young teens around the country, this volume uncovers the social pressures and individual choices that lead to violence. The author surveys effective state, local, and national anti-bullying policies and provides examples of teens throughout the nation whose leadership and courage have helped stop violence. This volume also contains exercises and strategies for young adults to employ that can pave the way for social action. Topics covered in this book include: What makes a bullyThe impact bullying has on victims, perpetrators, and witnessesTypes of bullying, such as sexual harassment and dating violenceCyberbullyingWhat to do if you are bulliedStrategies to combat bullying at school and elsewhere Resources Featuring a diverse collection of teen voices, this book is designed to help teens take immediate action both individually and collectively. The advice and exercises will not only help teens think critically about bullying but will also empower them to change both themselves and the circumstances that foster abuse in their schools and communities. Bullying: The Ultimate Teen Guide is a much-needed resource to help stem the tide of this social epidemic.

Mathangi Subramanian is an award winning neurodiverse South Asian American author and educator and the founder of Moon Rabbit Writing Studio, a boutique writing workshop providing classes aimed at queer, BIPOC, neurodiverse, and otherwise marginalized writers. Her novel A People's History of Heaven was longlisted for the PEN/Faulkner Award and the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, and was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award. Her middle grade book Dear Mrs. Naidu won the South Asia book award, and her picture book A Butterfly Smile was inducted into the Nobel Museum by Dr. Esther Duflo. Subramanian's shorter work has appeared in Harper's Bazaar, The Lily at the Washington Post, Ms. Magazine.com, BOMB, Kirkus, LitHub The San Francisco Chronicle, and McSweeney's Internet Tendency, among others. A former Fulbright-Nehru Scholar, senior policy analyst for the New York City Council, and Assistant Vice President at Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit that produces Sesame Street, Subramanian currently freelances for the Massachusetts Center for Family Engagement and teaches at The Writer's Center of Bethesda, The Center for Fiction, and The Porch. She holds a doctorate in education from Columbia Teachers College and has over two decades of experience teaching students from middle school to adults in formal and informal settings. For more information, please visit mathangisubramanian.com.

Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1: The Fundamentals Chapter 2: Bullies Chapter 3: Victims Chapter 4: Witnesses Chapter 5: Bias-Based Harassment Chapter 6: Cyberbullying Chapter 7: Sexual Harassment Chapter 8: Dating Violence Chapter 9: Adult Bullies Chapter 10: Creating Effective Anti-bullying Policy Chapter 11: Combating Bullying Together Recommended Reading Glossary About the Author