bullying

I recently had the great pleasure of participating in The Senior Civic Academy, sponsored by the City of Boston's Elderly Commission. It was a pilot project over the course of five Fridays, focusing on advocacy by and for seniors, with presentations by panels of experts from a wide range of programs.—A report from Carol Leary

The Stop Bullying Coalition recently had the honor to meet with our elected representatives, Senator Joan Lovely (2nd Essex) and Representative Thomas Walsh (Peabody), to advocate for consideration of our proposed legislation designed to address two critical needs of tenants who are elderly or living with disability, and reside in public or subsidized housing, and are victims of bullying.

Letter to Attorney General Maura Healey, revised for publication: I write to seek your advice and help to resolve the problem of bullying in multifamily public and subsidized housing, the home to 92,000 residents, including elderly and people with disability.

Letter to Hon Charles D Baker, seeking action on bullying of elderly and disabled persons in public and subsidized housing. Revised for publication.

We have a vision and plan for a home that is safe, secure, and peaceful, protecting us from bullying and harassing. The storms of mobbing and hostile environment harassment are the worst threats. When a community harasses and bullies a victim, and the landlord initiates, condones, or ignores these attacks, that is mobbing. When victims are unable to have the peaceful enjoyment of their residency, that is hostile environment harassment. We need to create protection for victims and hold landlords to account for their illegal behavior.

• Report to Mass Union
• Survey research, much progress
• Legal research, accountability
• Comparing toxic and healthy communities
• Outreach and education on legal protections
• Best practices
• Working together, bridging differences
• Action items

On October 19, 2017, Jerry Halberstadt, Coordinator of the Stop Bullying Coalition and a Commissioner of the Massachusetts Commission on Bullying, spoke on the role of advocacy and legislation on bullying at the online conference of the National Workplace Bullying Coalition in the context of National Bullying Awareness Month.

• Commission survey opens
• Background to survey
• Success through collaboration
• Chairwoman Linn Torto recognizes the Stop Bullying Coalition
• Announcing meeting of the Commission on Bullying

October is National Bullying Awareness Month, and on October 19 the National Workplace Bullying Coalition will host an online conference. http://www.workplacebullyingcoalition.org/ I have been invited to speak on the role of advocacy and legislation, and will give an update on the work of the Massachusetts Commission on Bullying and the impact of advocacy by the Stop Bullying Coalition.

• Mobbing explained by Janice Harper
• Update on work of the Commission on Bullying
• Research: qualitative, survey, evaluation of protections
• What are best practices in other settings?
• Outreach and community input
• One person's search for justice

Read more: http://stopbullyingcoalition.org/collaboration