Students in high schools and universities took a vow of silence Friday.
The Day of Silence is a student-led campaign created to end harassment in the LGBT community.
More than 11,000 students in 70 countries vowed not to speak all day to show the effect bullying can have on LGBT students.
The event launched in 1996 and, as of 2001, is organized and sponsored by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN).
Open Closet is one of London's LGBT support groups. It offers drop-in services for gay teens on Friday evenings at the Regional HIV/AIDS Connection.
"We know that people can't always be who they are, free from fear of being targeted by bullying," says Meredith Fraser, co-ordinator of Open Closet. "So the day of silence helps to raise awareness and develop a system of allies and support."
According to Fraser, it's getting harder for youth to escape their bullies.
"You have your phone with you all the time and you're around computers all the time. That's really shifted the way that youth experience bullying and harassment," she says.
The Day of Silence happens each year on April 17.
Resources like activity guides, posters, pledge sheets and speaking cards can be found on dayofsilence.org.
**This story was written by Brooke Foster, a student in the Broadcast Journalism program at Fanshawe College. Brooke is currently performing an internship with BlackburnNews.com
