Do you know what Pink Shirt Day (PSD) stands for? If not, then it is important that you know something about this day which is welcomed enthusiastically each year by teenagers all around the world.

PSD is about joining forces to stop bullying by celebrating people’s differences and promoting positive interaction among different peer groups.

This year New Zealand has taken up the cause and is celebrating the day with enthusiasm by making teenagers and adults aware of the ways as how to prevent bullying.

Men in Pink

The Pink Shirt Day began in Nova Scotia, Canada, in 2007. According to the local narrative, a group of senior students decided to stand up for a junior school kid who was being bullied for committing the crime of wearing a pink shirt to school.

In a heartwarming display of solidarity, many students came to school the next day wearing pink shirts. This day marked the birth of PSD.

One of the most instrumental points of this initiative is encouraging kids to trust their own judgment in different circumstances and to provide help to another person in times of need.

Mostly kids don’t intervene when someone is being bullied because they fear that the bullies might shift their focus towards them. But there is a secret weapon that makes the best bullies out there sweat in anxiety: unity.

Together we can drive away bullies by being part of a much larger group of people.

Backing the Right Idea

PSD is simply based on a three-step approach to reducing incidents of bullying in schools:

• ·         Speaking up: A problem like bullying should not be kept a secret. Speaking up against a problem is the beginning of the process to find a solution to it. Talk extensively with family, friends, kids, teachers and the immediate community that you live in about bullying. This would help you find innovative strategies to counter the bullying problem. 
• ·         Standing up: PSD encourages forging alliances with like-minded people who can stand besides you in the fight against bullying.
• ·         Stop Bullying: It is not entirely possible to completely change someone as to alter their behavior, but it is very much possible to try and keep on trying to bring about a positive change.

Following the Protocol

Following is a list of things to do if you and your child want to act up against bullying.

Lend out an ear to anyone who is going through a painful and disturbing experience. Sometimes, only listening to someone’s ordeal with patience is enough to make things right.
If some kid feels threatened to walk to school alone, the best idea is to assemble a group of other kids in the area to accompany the at-risk child.
Reach out to a responsible adult at home or at school if the problem persists and lay down all the facts in front of them.
Stopping rumors before they do some major damage is also an effective way of dealing with bullying. Kids should have the courage to speak up publicly in defense of the person targeted by the rumors.

Links that Matter

Some of the most useful hotlines for reporting bullying incidents here in New Zealand are: Kidline, Youthline, What’s up, Lifeline, OUTline NZ, and Suicide Crisis Helpline.