Acclaimed bullying documentary airing tonight

(Harrisburg) — A documentary telling the stories of children who have been bullied is airing nationwide tonight, andthe creators are hoping it raises awareness about the problem.

Bullywon a DuPont-Columbia Silver Baton award, and was an official selection at several film festivals, including Zurich, Los Angeles, and Tribeca.

It tells the stories of a teen who took his own life after years of bullying and school administrators who argue kids will just be kids.

Since filming during the 2009 – 2010 school year, Cynthia Lowen, co creator of the documentary, says cyber bullying has actually picked up nationwide.

“Kids taping bullying incidents, kids taping assaults, particularly against young women. And it’s something that I think is alarming,” she says.

Lowen says it’s important to fight against the mentality there’s nothing wrong with a little bullying.

Six Pennsylvania cities are also trying to end bullying with an initiative sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, thoughYork is the only midstate city participating.

Cynthia Lowen says it will take a community for bullying to end.

“You can talk to somebody. If you see somebody getting picked on, afterwards say are you okay, I saw what happened, do you want to go and make a report, I’ll go with you, I can make a witness statement for you. You know, do that,” she adds.

The documentary airs tonight at 10 on WITF-TV.