When I was at school and being picked on by a big kid or two, getting help wasn't simple. The reporting of bullying was "telling tales" and we were told to say "sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me".
That mantra was less than useless, even when shouted full in the face of an advancing "big kid", but there was always option two: run away.
Now, with cyber bullying entering the mix, running away only goes so far. Bullies come into our houses, our children's bedrooms via their phones, ipads, the family laptop.
Thankfully the issue is being taken seriously. Whether the remedial efforts can keep pace or outstrip technology remains to be seen, but this Friday is a chance to step up, don a pink shirt and say no to bullying.