11. How A Bullying Survivor Found His Voice

Diagnosed with a rare form of dwarfism called metatropic dysplasia, Brandon Farbstein was on the verge of ending his life at age 11. His suicide attempt was partly influenced by the bullying he experienced. But in spite of the emotional and physical turmoil he suffered since childhood, Brandon boldly used his voice and helped two pieces of legislation get signed into state law in Virginia.

According to a 2019 UN study, each month almost one in three students globally is bullied. And in the US, youth suicide rates increased 56% between 2000 to 2017.

In this episode, we look into causes and insights on bullying, cyberbullying, and their relation to youth suicide. We dive into the lack of legal and policy frameworks to prevent bullying in the United States and in other countries, as well as the role we can play in ending this epidemic.

Featuring policy insights and advocacy insights from experts: Elly Stout, Director at the Suicide Prevention Resource Center at EDC, and Ilann Maazel, Partner at Emery Celli Brinckerhoff Abady Ward & Maazel LLP.

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This episode is made possible with the support of Vodafone Americas Foundation. To learn more about their programs and how you can support their network of partners, visit vodafone-us.com

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Finding Humanity is a production of Humanity Lab Foundation and Hueman Group Media.

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