Hundreds Attend Anti-Bullying Rally In South Philadelphia
By Hadas Kuznits
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Hundreds of people turned out Saturday in South Philadelphia to see the speakers, dancers and artists performing at an anti-bullying rally.
The event was organized by Michelle Guess of the Boys and Girls Club of Baltimore.
"Seven years ago, my father was murdered to gang violence," Guess says. "My mother got some bills passed, but it didn't seem like it was doing much good in the community directly so I began to go around to different cities."
She says the problem of bullying starts early.
"At minimum," Guess says, "4,000 children between 10 and 14 years old commit suicide every year because of the effects of being bullied."
And Guess says bullying happens in many ways.
"You can be a bully and not even know it just by simply isolating someone," she says. "Not speaking to them is a form of bullying, making them feel unwanted. There are forms of bullying with texting."
She says bullied children exhibit sudden, anti-social behavior.
"They tend to sit alone," she says. "They look down at the ground, they don't make eye contact, they don't want to talk or associate with many people."
If you or someone you know is dealing with this issue, Guess encourages you to speak with someone about it.
