We need to find teachable moments where we help our young people live each day within the Circle of Respect for themselves and others both online and in the real world.
Arlington, VA (Vocus) January 29, 2010
The National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) commented today on the tragic news of Phoebe Prince, a 15 year-old South Hadley High freshman who committed suicide after allegedly being cyberbullied and harassed by classmates. NCPC says pursuing legislation is helpful but we will have more impact on society if we teach teens how to respect each other online and in person.
According to new qualitative research commissioned by NCPC, the home of McGruff the Crime Dog, teens state that disrespect is growing rapidly in the digital world and say they need help defining and restoring respect among their peers. Much of the bullying is said to occur via text messages and through social networking sites. Teens also revealed that disrespect and bullying is happening more online than where kids learn and play. The focus group research was conducted with youth ages 8-17 to help develop a new initiative for NCPC called the Circle of Respect.
“It hurts to see a promising life like Phoebe Prince cut short and we need to take action so we do not lose any more young people to this insidious issue of bullying,” says Robin Young, Program Manager for the Circle of Respect. She continued, “We need to find teachable moments where we help our young people live each day within the Circle of Respect for themselves and others both online and in the real world.”
NCPC is beginning the Circle of Respect initiative by focusing on respect and its connection to bullying and crime prevention. This month the group formally launched the initiative with the help of noted celebrity and author, Deborah Norville, and award-winning authors Rosalind Wiseman and Rachel Simmons. The initial phase of the Circle of Respect will engage and challenge children, young people, adults, families, and communities to promote a culture of respect where problems like sexting, online aggression, and other crimes do not become a cultural norm.
Visit the Circle of Respect website to learn how to get involved. For more information and tips on cyberbullying, go to our website at http://www.ncpc.org.
About the National Crime Prevention Council
The National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) is a private, nonprofit organization whose primary mission is to be the nation’s leader in helping people keep themselves, their families, and their communities safe from crime. NCPC manages public service advertising under the National Citizens’ Crime Prevention Campaign—symbolized by McGruff the Crime Dog® and his “Take A Bite Out Of Crime®” slogan—and acts as secretariat for the Crime Prevention Coalition of America, more than 400 national, federal, state, and local organizations representing thousands of constituents who are committed to preventing crime. NCPC is funded through a variety of government agencies, corporate and private foundations, and donations from private individuals. For more information on crime prevention issues, visit http://www.ncpc.org.
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