Girl scouts are known for their delicious cookies, their cute uniforms, and their ability to give girls self confidence and high self esteem. Today, they are becoming known for one more thing: equipping girls with the skills to handle girl bullying.

Bullying between girls is becoming a huge problem that has led to many girls around the country committing suicide. Girls can be brutal with the psychological forms of bullying that they put one another through today. From spreading false rumors to physical violence and nonstop harassment through cell phones and social networking sites online, girls have more ways to attack one another today than ever before.

That's why many Girl Scout troops are finding ways to reach out to girls for discussions and lessons on girl bullying. Instead of just giving the usual speeches that most girls have heard from teachers, principals, and parents in the past, Girl Scout troops are finding more interactive ways to teach girls what bullying feels like and what they should do if they become a victim of bullying.

For instance, one Girl Scout troop held a special meeting where girls were allowed to act out situations where one girl was bullying another. Girls were challenged to find the best ways to react when they were the ones being bullied. They also got the chance to see how it feels to be the one getting pushed around and harassed.

At the end of this special event, some girls came forward to admit that they were in fact bullies and that they wanted to change. Many girls came forward expressing the desire to be nice and treat others in a new way. It seems gaining this type of interactive exposure to the effects of girl bullying helps girls rethink their own behavior.

This type of interactive experience also helps girls if they do become the victims of bullies at a later date or if they are already being bullied. They learn new ways to handle different situations and will have more confidence if they do have to stand up for themselves at a later date.

The Girl Scouts have always worked hard to prepare girls for desperate situations in life. It used to be that learning outdoor survival skills and how to bake brownies were to priorities for the organization. Today, the priorities are more urgent and girl bullying is at the top of the list.

As bullying continues to affect more and more girls around the country, organizations like the Girl Scouts will continue to step up their efforts to help girls being bullied and turn around girls acting like bullies. Some girls do not even realize that they are being bullies until they experience it for themselves through a role playing opportunity like the one this Girl Scout troop made possible.

Exposure to situations of bullying seems to make a big difference for girls of all ages. Girls who have never been bullied are prepared if it happens to them in the future. Girls behaving like bullies understand more about how it makes their victims feel and they want to change. Girls who are already being bullied are strengthened, informed, and trained to stand up for themselves.

Hopefully, the result of programs like this will be fewer suicides and high school dropouts due to girl bullying.