Anti-bullying conference held in Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - One recent study found that nearly 30 percent of students are at some point either bullies or victims of bullying. The Indianapolis Public School system has about 30,000 students, so that means about 10,000 students are affected by bullying every day. A conference in the city Friday will address the issue.

Friday, more than 800 of the nation's top anti-bullying advocates will attend a conference at the Indianapolis Downtown Marriott to figure out real ways to fight bullying.

• ONLINE EXTRA | Interactive quiz and information about bullying

One of the biggest concerns is suicide from bullying. Organizers say parents need to watch for warning signs: behavior that suddenly takes a turn, such as a child who becomes unusually withdrawn or stops showing interest in regular extracurricular activities.

Another important step parents can take is to monitor their child’s Facebook account. Parents, advocates say, should insist on being their child’s Facebook friend so they can see if their child is being cyber-bullied.

Open communication, they say, is key, both inside and outside of school.

Click here or here for more information on bullying and how to fight it.