As National Anti Bullying week gets underway I wonder what our schools in the Bay are doing to raise awareness.
Incidents of bullying both in School and online are ever increasing.
Are we as a Society doing enough to safeguard our young people?
We know only too well the ultimate price some young people pay with increasing number of BULLYCIDES over recent years…… sadly for them they saw no other way to escape from the misery.
For others self harming is an option.
I myself am painfully aware of a huge number of teens sporting the lifelong scars from self harming.
So how do we define bullying?
There is no legal definition of bullying.
However, it’s usually defined as behaviour that is:
• repeated
• intended to hurt someone either physically or emotionally
• often aimed at certain groups, eg because of race, religion, gender or sexual orientation
It takes many forms and can include:
• physical assault
• teasing
• making threats
• name calling
• cyberbullying – bullying via mobile phone or online (eg email, social networks and instant messenger)
However you define bullying, it IS cruel and we need to make every single bully/cyberbully accountable before other young lives are lost or ruined as a direct or indirect result.
National Anti Bullying week is a good place to start raising awareness.
If you are a Parent ask if your child’s school is participating this week. If not why not!!
If you are a student ask your school or College what they are doing.
There are a number of resources available to Schools and Colleges here
http://www.actionwork.com/bullyingresources.html
