Every child and young person has the right to learn in a safe and healthy environment. Unfortunately, bullying, harassment, and intimidation may happen inside and outside of school, but there are many effective ways to tackle this.
Bullying is harmful behaviours directed at one person or a group. It can include verbal, physical, psychological, or socially harmful behaviours that can inflict harm, stress, and injury.
Online bullying is still bullying, with the added dimension of online harm. Mobile phones, websites, platforms, and gaming devices can all be used to bully someone online.
Bullying can happen once or continue for a long time. It’s also important to remember that anyone can be the victim of bullying.
Acts of bullying:
- Hitting, slapping, kicking, shaking, throwing, tripping, pushing, punching.
- Name calling, ignoring, mocking, shaming, humiliating, excluding, silencing, intimidation.
- Spreading rumours, taking, hiding or destroying work/belongings, being blamed.
Online Bullying
The internet has made bullying more complex, because most young people live simultaneously in the real world and the online world. Where bullying used to stop when school finished, it can now continue online after school.
Bullying is not new, and the internet did not create the problem. But the anonymity of online environments can increase the opportunity for people to bully, intimidate, harass, and upset others. According to Ofcom, 84% of children aged 8-17 who have experienced bullying experienced online, versus 61% of bullying happening in person.
When young people are bullied online, it can feel like there is no break or place to hide. It is also difficult for teachers, parents, and carers to recognise signs of bullying online, because they are not usually part of a young person’s online space.
Online bullying can include:
- Anonymous attacks and exclusions from group chats.
- Indirect comments, photos, or posts about someone.
- Purposely publishing or sharing private and identifying information (doxxing).
- Prank phone calls, false friend requests, and impersonating someone online.
- Accessing and controlling someone’s account to defame or slander someone.
Why people get bullied
They might be bullied based on:
- Being a certain gender or sex e.g. being a girl (Sexism).
- Being or knowing someone who is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Trans (Homo/Transphobic Bullying).
- Belonging to a certain religion or creed (Religious).
- Belonging to a racial or ethnic group (Racism).
- Belonging to a different social class, being richer or poorer than others, or living in a certain area (Classism).
- Being or knowing someone who is disabled (Ableism).
- Belonging to or knowing someone from a different country (Xenophobia).
The Impact of Bullying
Bullying is not a normal part of childhood and ignoring it doesn’t always make it stop. Doing so can leave children feeling unheard. It also sends the wrong message that bullying is something to be tolerated.
The long-term impact of bullying on a young person’s physical and mental health and their development can be profound. Victims can be left feeling isolated, lonely, anxious, scared, and vulnerable. In some cases, bullying can lead to mental health and substance misuse issues.
Why young people might not report bullying
Children can feel discouraged from telling someone they trust about bullying for fear of things escalating or from worry or hopelessness that it won’t stop.
Bullying can impact a young person’s self-esteem, leading to feelings of worthlessness and internalised feelings of self-blame, which can discourage them from reporting.
They may also fear the possible reactions of bullies and adults in their life if they tell someone. In some cases, young people can avoid talking about bullying as a way to cope with what’s happening. They could also fear being labelled a snitch/tout/grass and being teased by their peers.
Talking to children in your care about being bullied
- Making sure you’re able to listen to what your child has to say, giving them a chance to talk without interruption, and avoiding getting upset or angry at the situation.
- Supporting your child to overcome bullying at school can be a teachable moment. Try to avoid making your child feel stressed or fearful that things may escalate.
- Giving your child reassurance that things will change can help reduce anxious feelings.
- Telling your child that the bullying isn’t their fault and asking them what they would like to see happen means you can tackle the problem together.
- Praising a young person for talking can help strengthen supportive lines of communication.