We are all aware of how bullying in schools affects our children, affects families and lives.
There is research to suggest that there has been a significant drop in bullying instances within our Schools Education Research Suggests Drop in Bullying: According to new research, conducted through collaboration between the Government and the University of London, there has been a fall in then number of 13 year olds who have experienced bullying in the last decade – i.e. between 2004 and 2013.
Education Research Suggests Drop in Bullying The findings, published as part of Anti-Bullying Week, compared the responses of 15,700 13 year old pupils in 2004 with those of 13,100 respondents in 2013.
The data was drawn from two large scale studies run by the Department of Education and Institute of Education at the University of London. The findings showed that the number of pupils of this age group being bullied in 2004 stood at 45%. In 2013, the proportion fell to two fifths (40%).
Respondents were asked if they had been bullied in the last year. I see no evidence to support this research. I am getting between 5 and 12 Parents and teens asking for help or advice on a daily basis. What is apparent is young people do not report incidents of bullying to their respective Schools and Colleges as little action is taken and reporting actually exasperates bullying making matters a whole lot worse for the victim.
It is therefore little wonder there is a ‘drop in Bullying’ if bullying is simply not reported !! There are no official statistics on the number of children who are bullied. But research studies and from what children tell us, we know that bullying is an issue that affects almost all children in some way, the NSPCC have some startling statistics: There were almost 26,000 counselling sessions with children about bullying last year. Over half of lesbian, gay and bisexual young people have experienced homophobic bullying at school. More than 16,000 young people are absent from school due to bullying.
There were 7,296 counselling sessions with young people who talked to ChildLine about online bullying and safety last year 25,736 counselling sessions with young people in 2014/15 who cited bullying as their main concern. Bullying was the biggest reason for children aged 11 and under to contact ChildLine (25% of children aged 11 and under) and the third biggest reason for children aged 12-15 (9% of 12-15 year olds). Bullying was the second biggest reason for boys to contact ChildLine (12% of boys) and the third biggest reason for girls (9% of girls. More than half of lesbian, gay and bisexual young people still report experiencing homophobic bullying and its damaging impact is just as pronounced.
Over two in five gay pupils who experience homophobic bullying attempt or think about taking their own life as a direct consequence. Three in five young people say that bullying has a direct impact on their school work and straight-A students have told us it makes them want to leave education entirely. 3 in 5 gay pupils who experience homophobic bullying say that teachers who witness the bullying never intervene! Nearly one in four (23 per cent) lesbian, gay and bisexual young people have tried to take their own life at some point. In comparison, Samaritans says seven per cent of all young people in general ever attempt to take their own life • More than half (56 per cent) of gay young people deliberately harm themselves, which can include cutting or burning themselves.
NSPCC estimates that between 1 in 15 and 1 in 10 young people in general deliberately harm themselves. We are all aware of the consequence to victims of bullying ranging from lack of self esteem, isolation, long term psychological damage, self harm, suicidal ideology and actual suicide, so why is more not being done to protect these young people? All schools have a bullying policy but it is not worth the paper it is written on if it is not stringently adhered to. And what of the bullies themselves? With seemingly little to no consequences for their actions society is sending a loud clear message that it’s OK to behave in this way……..well it’s not.
It is totally unacceptable and we must put pressure on schools and education authorities to protect the victims, implement the bullying policies and ensure that the bullies are held accountable for their actions. TOGETHER WE CAN DO THIS, WE MUST DO THIS.
If you are being bullied or cyber bullied please get in touch via the Izzy Dix Anti Bullying Memorial page on Facebook.
