As a former teacher, I’ve always been acutely aware of the effects of bullying on students. Lately, I’ve noticed that the media has also taken an interest in it as well, though because of the extreme measure those students have taken to remove themselves from the effects of bullying.
Bullying can happen anywhere, at school, at home, at work, in online social spaces, via text messaging or email. That constant presence of harassment can absolutely drive a student to their breaking point.
It can have serious short-term and long-term emotional and social consequences for those who are bullied, these include:
- Lack of sleep
- Eating disorders
- Thoughts of committing suicide
- Anxiety
- Low self-esteem
- Lowered grades
- Self-destructive behaviour
- Addiction to alcohol and illegal drugs
What Can a Parent Do?
All parents want for their kids is for them to be having fun and succeeding as best as they can. So once they suspect their child is being bullied or bullying others, it may tend to put them in the state of stress. As a parent, there are many things you can do to prevent your child from being bullied/doing the bullying:
- Teach kids to solve problems without using violence and praise them when they do.
- Give children positive feedback when they behave well to help build their self-esteem. Help give them the self-confidence to stand up for what they believe in.
- Ask your children about their day and listen to them talk about school, social events, their classmates, and any problems they have.
- Take bullying seriously. Many kids are embarrassed to say they have been bullied. You may only have one chance to step in and help.
- If you see any bullying, stop it right away, even if your child is the one doing the bullying.
- Encourage your child to help others who need it.
- Don’t bully your children or bully others in front of them. Many times kids who are bullied at home react by bullying other kids. If your children see you hit, ridicule, or gossip about someone else, they are also more likely to do so themselves.
- Support bully prevention programs in your child’s school. If your school doesn’t have one, consider starting one with other parents, teachers, and concerned adults.
What Can a Student Do?
Students who are the subject of bullying should attempt to speak to someone at school who they trust and can either help them or advise them of where to go next. Usually it is the Home Teacher, head of department or Guidance Officer. With the recent publicity, the likelihood of a successful outcome is increased.
Peers are present as onlookers in 87% of bullying interactions, and play a central role in the bullying process. Bullying often takes place with the silent approval of bystanders to the students who are bullying. If anyone witnesses bullying, defending or supporting the student who is being bullied by intervening, getting teacher support or comforting them is a way to counteract the bullying.
School Responsibility
Once you send your children to school, the school then has the responsibility to keep them safe. Schools are to have clear procedures available for staff and students to confidentially report aggression, abuse, harassment, bullying, cyber-bullying and cyberharassment. The procedures for reporting issues and concerns are supposed to be clearly communicated, thus making it easier for parents and students to use them.
In some cases of bullying, the schools sometimes may not know that bullying is occurring. You may contact the school staff and talk about your child’s concerns – however you shouldn’t mention anything until you have talked about it with your child.
Criminality
If the bullying includes threats to harm or damage property, you should contact the police. Receiving threats or verbal abuse may be something that
the police may be able to assist with.
In 2011, the Victorian government introduced the Crimes Amendment (Bullying) Bill 2011. This piece of legislation chiefly modified the offence of stalking to apply to situations of bullying. The amendment considers the ‘course of conduct’ engaged in by the offender to include behaviour such as making threats to the victim and acting in ways that could reasonably be expected to cause the victim to engage in selfharm. Finally, the legislation expressly provides that, for the purposes of this offence, mental harm includes psychological harm and causing a victim to engage in suicidal thoughts.
To be convicted, the offender must have intended to cause physical or mental harm to the victim. The harm requirement has now been extended to include the intention to cause a victim to engage in self-harm. Mental harm has been defined to include psychological harm and suicidal thoughts.
The penalty includes possible imprisonment for up to a maximum of 10 years. Of note however, is that this legislation was introduced in response to the death of Ms Panlock, a young woman who tragically ended her life after enduring a persistent campaign of appalling bullying.
It is this piece of legislation that appears to have triggered a groundswell of approval around Queensland. Notably it is the Australian Independents who want similar legislation introduced at a federal level.
Resources
Alternatively there are contact numbers & websites designed to educate and provide options for students to go to discuss these issues such as:
The Kids’ Helpline is a network in which you can communicate with an adult who will listen to your concern, prevent the scenario as much as physically possible, and finally help you increase your self confidence and attitude.
- Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 or http://www.kidshelp.com.au/
This website has resources on how to deal with bullying from a parent, teacher and student point of view.
Lifeline encourages help seeking and can help those who are suffering from the consequences of cyber-bullying, and is here to help 24 hours a day.
- 13 11 14 or online at www.lifeline.org.au.
This site has many resources not just about bullying, but about whatever you’re going through.
