Bullying Has to Stop!

Bullying has reached epidemic proportions in schools, the workplace, the medical system, paramedics, the military, politics, on the roads and even in your local shopping centre.

There seems to be no safe haven from this viscious, damaging, sometimes life threatening behaviour. Sometimes, even the family home may provide no protection from bullying within. Domestic Violence is simply another term for bullying within the home.

Whether bullying is initiated by a sibling or a parent, it is just as damaging. Bullying is one of the main causes of depresssion leading to suicide in young people today.

Some Australian Bullying Statistics

• 1 out of every 10 children have been bullied in person.
• Instances of cyber-bullying are even higher.
• Cyberbullying appears to be related to age (or access to technology), with older students more likely to engage in cyberbullying than younger students.
• 83% of students who bully others online, also bully others offline.
• 84% of students who were bullied online were also bullied offline.
• Approximately one in four Year 4 to Year 9 Australian students (27%) report being bullied every few weeks or more often (considered to be frequent) during the last term at school.
• Frequent school bullying was highest among Year 5 (32%) and Year 8 (29%) students.
• Peers are present as onlookers in 87% of bullying interactions, and play a central role in the bullying process.
• Hurtful teasing was the most prevalent of all bullying behaviours experienced by students, followed by having hurtful lies told about them.
• Children who have been bullied are almost 3 times more likely to show signs of depression.
• Children who have been bullied repeatedly often begin to show signs of psychotic episodes.
• Students who are bullied are 9 times more likely to attempt or contemplate committing suicide.

Sources and further information:

• Cross, D., Shaw, T., Hearn, L., Epstein, M., Monks, H., Lester, L., and Thomas, L. 2009.
  Australian Covert Bullying Prevalence Study (ACBPS). Child Health Promotion Research Centre, Edith Cowan University, Perth.
• Stop Cyber Bullying

How can counselling or mediation help you if you are a victim of bullying?

Christine Bennett offers help through counselling and mediation for people suffering from the effects of bullying behaviour.

If you would like to make an enquiry or appointment, please call or use the form provided. We look forward to hearing from you.