State's Young Lawyers Launch Anti-Bullying Campaign

AUSTIN — Bullying has been a persistent problem in our society. While many believe that bullying stops after graduation, in reality it occurs at all ages—from the classroom, to cyberspace, and the workplace.

According to a survey on the Department of Health and Human Services website, 62 percent of respondents claim they witnessed bullying two or more times in the last month, and 41 percent claim they witness bullying once a week or more.

With the ease of technology and prevalence of social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, cyberbullying can be humiliating and extremely public.

Although numerous organizations attempt to address the issue of bullying, none have explained to the public how the law addresses the epidemic or provides help to those in need, said Rebekah Steely Brooker, president of the Texas Young Lawyers Association, or TYLA.

“Being either a bully or a victim can have a profound impact on the individual’s life,” Brooker said. “TYLA is excited about the prospect of tackling this very challenging subject in a way that engages, educates, and truly changes lives.”

To meet this need, TYLA created the End Bullying Now campaign consisting of an interactive website that targets children, teens, parents, educators, and the workplace through short stories, expert education, testimonials, and games. Viewers can watch celebrities such as Marty Turco, a former goalie for the Dallas Stars, and ordinary individuals such as Keri Kaiser, vice president of marketing at Children’s Health in Dallas, share their bullying stories.

A grant from the Texas Bar Foundation is funding the project. Since its inception in 1965, the foundation has awarded more than $15 million in grants to law-related programs. Supported by members of the State Bar of Texas, the Texas Bar Foundation is the nation’s largest charitably funded bar foundation.

The End Bullying Now campaign is now live at biggerthanbullies.com. TYLA is dedicated to continue collecting videos of testimonials in order to identify with even more website viewers.