Today (February 27) is Pink Shirt Day, a day where people around the world attempt to shine a light on the need to bring awareness to, and put a stop to bullying in all forms.

Pink Shirt Day has been going on for more than a decade now.  It first started in 2007 when two students in Nova Scotia bought and distributed 50 pink shirts after a grade nine student was bullied when he wore a pink shirt on the first day of school.  Since then the movement has grown but the problem of bullying is still with us.

During today's Mochas With Mounties event in Airdrie, Inspector Kimberley Pasloske, the Detachment Commander at the Airdrie RCMP, was decked out in her pink t-shirt to recognize the day and the need to prevent bullying.  She says people in Airdrie would see most of the force dressed the same way, including Airdrie's two, dedicated school liaison officers who were in the schools talk to students about bullying.  But Pasloske says the problem of bullying isn't just a problem for youth. 

"You know what, bullying isn't just youth, it's adults too.  If you check around town today you'll see that most of the police officers are wearing their pink shirts in respect of that and to open that conversation to talk about anti-bullying and what can people do about bullying."

Pasloske has some excellent advice to answer the question, 'what can each one of us do about bullying.'  She calls it, 'voice.'

"Bullying doesn't happen in a vacuum.  People see it, people watch it and don't do anything about it.  It's really about those people that see it and watch it that we've got to have that conversation with.  Be that voice.  Be that voice for that person that is being bullied and stand up for that person.  Just a quick, 'hey, that's not okay' will go exceedingly far.  It will show the victim that there's support and it will provide a forum to actually make a change.   To make that bullying behaviour not okay."

Even though she points out that bullying is not just a problem for kids, Pasloske says teaching the kids and training the kids to stand up to bullies is the best place to start.

"I have a 14-year-old daughter myself and she's got the skills about bullying she talks about voice, she talks about not standing on the sidelines.  I do think that that's where we're making those changes.  We're seeing it in adults as well but with those kids, I really hope that those messages are coming forward."

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