Bullying can leave real scars that last for years–and sometimes, they never truly go away. Now with the internet and smart phones and new social media apps, like Snapchat and Twitter, online bullying makes it even more complicated, pervasive, and harder to eradicate. One 13-year-old boy from Ireland is trying to change this and create a dialogue around anti-bullying.
Luke Culhane is a triple threat: He produced, edited, and starred in the nearly three minute film. The film shows him receiving verbal insults on social media sites. After each one, he gets a physical injury—a bloody nose, black eye and a broken arm—which illustrates that verbal abuse and bullying is literally a painful injury, even if it is invisible.
At the end of the film, Culhane talks about how we can cope and why the problem is so dangerous. He was inspired by Safer Internet Day (which was February 9th), and wanted to be part of the discussion.
While it’s incredibly brave for anyone to talk about difficult personal experiences, as it makes us vulnerable, it’s always worth it, because it not only connects us but allows us to cope. And this is the only way we can empower ourselves.
Watch the short film for yourself–it’s truly moving. It may just be the impetus to have a conversation with your kids about bullying:
Read More:
Notes From a Mom Who Used To Be Bullied
How to Raise Mentsches, Not Bullies
