STIP IT: VRT’s initiative against bullying extends to the Netherlands

What is STIP IT? 

Since 2012, Ketnet has organised an annual campaign to inspire children not to bully each other. From 2012 to 2017, this was done with the initiative 'The Move against Bullying', which eventually became STIP IT. Since 2018, the 4 STIP IT dots came to symbolise the following message: if you draw the dots on your hand, you send a powerful signal against bullying. STIP stands for 'Samen Tegen Iemand Pesten' (Together Against Bullying). Each dot also has a specific meaning: 

1. I don't think bullying is ok and will never participate in it. 

2. I talk about bullying if it makes me scared or sad. 

3. I don't exclude anyone, to me, everyone belongs to each other. 

4. I will always try to stand up for someone who is being bullied 

The first STIP IT campaign in the Netherlands 

For the first time, the STIP IT campaign is also being emulated in the Netherlands.

We are very happy about that. We have noticed that the campaign has had a lot of impact in recent years, and this has also been noticed abroad. NPO ZAPP, like Ketnet in the Netherlands, is doing its first own edition of STIP IT and we are very proud of that. They are creating a campaign just like us to make that footprint bigger across national borders.

- Annemie Gulickx, network manager Ketnet

Ketnet is collaborating with radio channels Radio2 and MNM for the second time, because not only children and adolescents, but also adults can become victims of bullying behaviour.  

It hasn't been an easy year for children (in the context of corona), and it's going to continue for a while. So, if I wish them anything, always, but especially now, it's that they don't have to worry about things like belonging or bullying situations. I am glad that this year too, thanks to STIP IT, we can take those worries away from children a bit more and be here for them.

- Sarah Mouhamou, Ketnet presentatrice and STIP IT ambassadress