Community and business leaders join area students in participating in Unity Day on Wednesday, October 21.
The event raises awareness of the issue of bullying. Children's Coalition Early Childhood Life Skills Coordinator Tammy Washington says society still has difficultly in giving proper attention to acts of bullying. "Many times it gets overlooked. People need to know that bullying is a very harmful form of social interaction," she said.
Recent data shows about 64 percent of bullying incidents among children go unreported. Washington says most children are unsure about trusting someone enough to tell them about being bullied. "They sometimes feel they won't be taken seriously, or that nothing will be done."
She says more awareness has led to better intervention, and events like Unity Day help promote support to those who may have been subjected to bullying. Washington says everyone is encourages to wear orange on October 21, as a show of support against bullying.