Greshun De Bouse knows what it means to survive, and thrive. As a bullying and crime survivor, she has dedicated her life to ensuring others won’t have to go through what she’s experienced.
Motivated by statistics that Louisiana is the worst state in the nation in regards to bullying, the Shreveport, LA resident worked to establish National Making The First Move Day. According to the event’s website, the day is “an all-inclusive national advocacy holiday celebrated annually on April 7, when kids, families, and people of all ages and backgrounds start making the first move towards bullying prevention and recovery in all forms.”
Earlier this year, De Bouse received recognition from Mayor LaToya Cantrell, in appreciation and acknowledgment of her work to recognize injustice and prevent bullying before it can begin.
According to the American Society for the Positive Care of Children, as many as 160,000 children skip school each day for fear of being bullied, and around 30 percent of young people admit to having bullied others. However, when a bystander intervenes, bullying stops within 10 seconds 57 percent of the time.
Bullying can happen to anyone, anywhere, and at any time, but in general, children who are disabled, wear glasses, are under or overweight, or who are poor are more likely to experience bullying at some time in their lives. Bullying can also be somewhat of a self-sustaining cycle, as children who are bullied can experience lower self-esteem, and those with lower self-esteem are also more likely to be bullied.
National Making The First Move Day aims to prevent bullying before it begins by providing support to children and families who need it.
Earlier this year, National Making the First Move Day was added to Chase’s Calendar of Events, as well as the Days of the Year Calendar.
Jenn Bentley is a writer and editor originally from Cadiz, Kentucky. Her writing has been featured in publications such as The Examiner, The High Tech Society, FansShare, Yahoo News, and others. When she’s not writing or editing, Jenn spends her time raising money for Extra Life and advocating for autism awareness.
