There are an infinite number of ways for children to be robbed of their lives, but one of the most devastating is to lose one’s life as a direct result of bullycide. Bullycide is suicide caused from the consequences of bullying. Children, adolescents, or young adults who are bullied live in constant fear and confusion. They are usually weak and unable to analyze the dimensions of their pain to consider the sacred difference between life and death. They are unmindful of the armies of resolutions and strategies at their disposal aimed to directly end their pain and anxiety. They are not always able to lean on the strength and support of their elders who in turn, might be able to assist them by changing the culture of the abuser.

This is a deadly serious matter. We need to start a new discourse in this country by taking action against bullies and their enablers and putting an end to the physical and mental abuse of the sitting target. Victims have the tendency to blame themselves or better yet, many of them are told by their caregivers, “Oh brush it off!” or punish the child for not being stronger. Some parents do not want to believe that their child is the target bullying and unconsciously ignore the situation. As a result, the child feels neglected and falls into a deep depression. Overtime, they throw their gauntlet down and put a permanent end to their wounds.

Bullying is real and its consequences can be devastating.

• Thirteen year-old Steven was set on fire by his tormentors. The act was recorded on a cell phone and later posted on the internet. Even though he survived, he later took his life.
• Nine year-old A’layah Weatherspoon out of Waterford, Michigan, was a victim of bullycide last month after being tormented at her school.
• Ten year-old Ashwanty Davis took her life after a fight that she’d had in school was exposed on the internet.
• Thirteen year-old Ryan Halligan committed suicide after he was bullied for years about his sexuality.
• Eighteen year-old Tyler Clementi did the same after hidden cameras of his sexual relationships went viral.
• Seventeen year-old Beth Wilkenson jumped off a bridge after being bullied.
• Sixteen year-old Joshua (Leelah) Alcorn walked out in on-coming traffic after constantly being condemned for wanting to live as woman.
• Six year-old Samantha Kuberski, seemingly, the youngest suicide victim on record took her life because she couldn’t tolerate not being accepted or understood.
• Twelve year-old Evan Zeimniak committed suicide after being stabbed with pencils and shoved around in the bus.
• Eighteen year-old Jessica Cleland took her life after her Facebook wall and other social media accounts were smeared with hate.
• Seventeen year-old Ronan Hughes took his life after being told by bullies that they were going to expose intimate photos of him on social media.
• Fourteen year-old Kenneth Weishuhn committed suicide after being bullied on cyberspace.
• Fifteen year-old Bart Palosz took his own life after suffering years of bullying and the list goes on.

I don’t expect everyone to engage empathetically in the deaths of these  children or others who I have not listed, but I do hope to demonstrate conceptually and conversationally, the consequences of bullying.

Recent studies have shown bullycide rates are on the rise and over 160,000 children stay home from school every day from fear of being bullied. Most bullycides take place in the fall. It is crucial to keep a close eye on children in the beginning of the school year especially if they transferred to a new school or new environment.

As much as children are told not to bully others or shown strategies on how to prevent bullying, it’s impossible to change bullies overnight. Habits of mind do not change since most bullies are challenged in their personal lives and need to learn how to deal with their own threats. They may not be allowed to do what they want at home and alternately seek to prey on the weak. They are odious to the doctrine of equality and can only see themselves, not others. Decades may pass before bullycide can be eliminated or reduced, but in the meantime, we need to take action.

New voices and constituencies need to join in and transform the public space of bullies. We may not be able to bring back those who have lost their lives, but we can become conduits of change and shape the course of justice. We must sense the urgency to fuel our hearts with the ammunition needed to bring justice to the unheard and to plow through the crowds of bullies and stop them from torturing the innocent. Bullies should not be allowed to take ownership of power; they should be lifted from their seats and given the psychological help they need to end the abuse.

Every single instance of bullying needs to be recorded. It should begin with the parent, then the teacher, the principal, the school board, and finally, law enforcement. There needs to be open communication among all parties. There’s no room for naïve cynicism because what we do begins with what we believe we can do. Bullying should never become the norm. If you sense that a child is being bullied, take charge before it’s too late.