Bullying and youth violence can have harmful social effects that could last a lifetime.

The fear of being bullied keeps sixty thousand children home from school each day. To help overcome bullying, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has launched a new stop bullying campaign. Glen Aylward, professor of pediatrics at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield, says bullying is verbal and physical harassment that occurs repeatedly over time.

SOUND BITE: " . . .it's intended to cause harm and/or stress with a child, and thirdly, it involves an imbalance of power between the perpetrator and the child who is bullied. What I mean by this is that the individual who is doing the bullying is stronger, bigger, more popular, etc."

Aylward says there are two types of bullying. One is direct bullying, which involves physical aggression such as hitting, slapping, kicking, pushing, and shoving. The second type of bullying is indirect or passive bullying, which is social shunning, rumors and talking behind one's back. It is estimated that about 30 percent of school-age children are involved in some level of bullying. Aylward says if bullying is not stopped in youth, it can cause long-term social effects.

SOUND BITE: " . . . 25 percent of bullies at age 30, have a criminal record. There's increased oppositional behavior, increased negative attitudes toward school, increased smoking, increased alcohol usage, increased drug use. That's not to say all bullies do this, but it is increased in that regard. In terms of those who receive the bullying, that is the bullied child, many of them will show depression. They will show anxiety. They will show suicidal ideation. They will show symatic complaints which will cause them to want to not go to school and they will demonstrate a sense of loneliness and social isolation."

If you know a child who is being bullied or is bullying other children, report these activities to a teacher, pediatrician or mental health counselor. To learn more about how to stop bullying, visit the web site - www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov.