October Is Bullying Awareness Month

storybyteskendall
Oct 15, 2025
3 min read

Updated: Dec 24, 2025

Written by: Alexandra Calzadilla

Trigger Warning: Mentions of Bullying

For Bullying Prevention Month I chose to highlight the fictional character Shannon Lynch from the book Binding 13 by Chloe Walsh. Mentioned in my previous blog Shannon Lynch is one of Joey Lynch’s five siblings. From a young age she faced bullying both in her home and outside of it. Shannon never felt like she was in a safe space and was constantly in fight or flight mode. She always carried a toothbrush with toothpaste in her backpack to clean herself up after her nervous vomiting, emphasizing to readers that it was a common occurrence.

In Ireland junior infants are the equivalent to elementary school in America. To put it into perspective Shannon was bullied from elementary school all the way up to high school. Not once did she ever give her bullies a reason to be their victim. She was a quiet and reserved girl both at home and outside of it. Standing at barely five feet tall and malnourished due to her extreme anxiety, she could never defend herself. Like Joey Lynch, she received the short end of her father’s temper. He would attack her both verbally and physically just because of her mere presence. The same case with her school bullies, they would pour expired drinks on her, physically assault her, cut her hair and more.

Many people witnessed the bullying Shannon was enduring and did not stand up for her. These groups of bystanders ranged from her peers to authority figures. Upon reading about the gruesome bullying she was experiencing I could not comprehend how others let it slip by without her attackers facing consequences. There were many bystanders throughout the story but one of her best friends Lizzie Young along with her brother refused to be bystanders to the bullying she was enduring. They defended and protected her when no one else would, emphasizing the power choosing not to be a bystander has.

Transferring to Tommen College

Upon a very gruesome attack Shannon was sent to Tommen College for a fresh start. The change of environment allowed her to thrive making new friends along with her childhood friends Lizzie and Claire.

“I waited, with my heart in my mouth, for a cruel comment or shove to come. It didn’t. Transferring halfway through the year from the neighboring public school, I had been expecting a tirade of fresh taunts and new enemies. But nothing happened” (Walsh 12).

“Having people other than Joey and his friends that were willing to sit with me, talk to me, and walk with me at school was a mind-blowing experience” (Walsh 15).

“Being greeted by actual smiling, friendly faces instead of what I was used to was overwhelming for me” (Walsh 13).

Reflection

Bullying is a very difficult thing to deal with, and I bet anyone reading this has either

experienced it or knows about someone who has. There are many different types of actions that can be classified as bullying: cyber-bullying, isolating somebody, humiliation, physical bullying, verbal bullying, gossiping, etc. Knowing the different forms of bullying can allow you to help somebody stuck in a situation they feel defenseless in. If you notice someone is getting bullied there are many things you can do: report the bullying, tell a trusted adult, defend the target of bullying, and most importantly, be a safe space for the victim of the bullying.

Through her experiences Shannon acquired a sense of resilience and perseverance. She only had a few people in her corner but those figures allowed her to feel safe in situations she felt defenseless in. Her story emphasizes how powerful showing compassion to others has and how it can make even the smallest difference in their life. One never knows what someone else is going through and showing kindness and empathy can shine a light to those who are fighting silent battles. Let Shannon’s story serve as a reminder to always be kind to others and never be a bystander to the cruelty posed upon others.

If you or someone you know is being bullied click on this link below: