U Windsor looks to end bullying

Sean Previl

Nov. 16, 2012

Anti-Bullying Week U Windsor

Students and staff at the University of Windsor want to end bullying by making people aware of what can result from bullying and what can be done to stop it.

The University of Windsor Student Alliance held its anti-bullying awareness events this week, which included several guest speakers, a poetry slam and workshops.

“We wanted to do something that helped spread the word of promoting that bullying is not okay,” said Josh Paglione, Student Life director for the UWSA.

Paglione said he tried to plan events that would reach out to people of all ages, including the NO H8 Campaign photoshoot and a workshop on cyber-bullying by the Windsor Police Service.

“Bullying doesn’t stop in high school, right,” said Paglione. “It continues on, college, university, workplace.”

A fourth year student at the university, Lauren Soul, said she has a personal tie to the week and is volunteering because of that connection.

“I’ve been bullied my entire life and I will do everything within my power to help it end and to spread the message that you can survive it,” said Soul.

Soul said she hopes people will take away information that can help themselves or their friends who may be suffering from bullying.

“They’ll learn that there are resources out there, that there are services out there to help them,” said Soul. “It does get better and they can survive it.”

One of the students who has been attending the anti-bullying events said the response from the Windsor community is enlightening.

“It was really interesting to see how people from different places and different backgrounds, they all had a story to tell,” said Brian Khan, a third year student studying digital journalism and communications, media and film. “It’s really interesting to see how they were all affected by bullying and how they dealt with it.”

Khan said reaching out is the best way to help.

“There’s friends and people always willing to help always willing to help you, you just need to reach out and you will solve your problem,” said Khan.

According to the Canadian Institute of Health Research, 38 per cent of males and 30 per cent of females report they experienced bullying in their school years. Paglione said anti-bullying weeks can raise awareness about the prevalence of bullying.

Paglione said he hopes the anti-bullying week will let people know that help is there for them if they need it.

 

Cutline: Cameron Gray, left, paints Brian Khan’s face for the NO H8 Campaign photoshoot on Nov. 14. at the University of Windsor. (Photo by/Sean Previl)