Bullied - Season 1

A vast majority of bullied students are harassed because of their sexual ori- entation. In a society that is growing in tolerance many students still face humiliation from their peers and even family members. At the core of the episode we listen to Emma, a young high school student struggling to gain the acceptance of her mother and fellow classmates. Experts provide informa- tion on support groups and resources in place to empower those in the gay or lesbian community. Take a stand with these young students that are fighting for equality and acceptance.

When most people think of bullying, they think of physical abuse. However, bullying goes beyond the physical and can encompass the verbal. It might seem odd, but verbal bullying can in some cases be just as harmful as physi- cal. Learn what emotional bullying can do to an individual's self-esteem, why it's often a silent killer and how it can be put an end. Gain perspective from the victims that refused to speak out against the verbal abuse, resulting in de- pression that almost cost them their own life. Now the conversation is flowing and students are speaking up against their verbal attackers and are helping other students speak up before it's too late.

Students reveal the devastating affects of being physically bullied in school and in public. We hear from Liz, a student whose health was threatened to the point of seeking home schooling. Despite her efforts to find sanctuary, her attackers followed her home and violently assaulted her mother. We visit a high school that started a Peer Mentors program, a 'student helping stu- dent' group with new solutions to end bullying. The cameras roll on the peer mentors at work, breaking down the hateful stereotypes that cause bullying and fostering a more peaceful environment at school. Take a stand with them against physical bullying.

Walk a mile in their shoes and witness first hand the struggles people with a disability face on a daily basis. Nick George, a young man with Asperger's syndrome, shares his experiences. Tony Bartoli lives with cerebral palsy. Bul- lied as a youth and constantly pushed down emotionally and physically, he found strength in the people who stood up for him and faced the bullies. Now as an adult, Tony tours internationally giving motivational speeches and showing how he found optimism while battling an ever worsening condition. Featured experts examine the warning signs for the parents that suspect their child might be bullied. Abuse does not always come from classmates or other students. To his horror, Stuart discovered that his son Akian, an ele- mentary school student with autism, was repeatedly bullied by a teacher and aide. Conny Dahn, a special needs teacher, describes her experience turning around the culture of bullying in her daughter's school.