Bullying in Australian Schools

Bullying in schools is a worldwide problem, in fact some websites have stated that 1 in 6 children are bullied in school.

A recent report has shown that about 1 in 4 Australian children are bullied. It made me wonder just exactly what is bullying...

The following is from Bullying at School - NSW Police Force:

Bullying includes things like:

• teasing.
  
• calling you names.
  
• saying things to put you down or make fun of or humiliate you.
  
• excluding you from groups or activities.
  
• making nasty comments because of your race or your sex or your sexuality.
  
• pushing or hitting you or being violent in some other way.
  
• making threats or saying things that make you or others scared.
  
• forcing you to do silly or dangerous things.
  
• damaging, hiding or breaking your things.
  
• demanding money or food or other items.
  
• belittling your abilities and achievements.
  
• writing mean or spiteful notes or graffiti about you or others.
  
• making fun of how you look.
  

That made me think that the number should be more like almost every child gets bullied...

Just looking at the first two "Teasing" and "Being called names", is suppose that if that is the classification given to children whan asked about being bullied, it isn't surprising that the number is so high.

The Scotch College Melbourne includes, in its list of bullying, such things as:

• Verbal bullying includes insults, taunts, threats, and ridicules.
  
• Psychological bullying includes physical intimidation and ostracism.
  
• Interference with, or damage to personal property, may be included as bullying.
  

Brisbane's St Aidan�s Anglicans Girls school includes the following definitions of bullying:

• Physical fighting, pushing, shoving, gestures or invasion of personal space.
  
• Verbal name calling, offensive language, slander (putting people down behind their backs picking on people because of their race, sex or religious creed.
  
• Victimization stand-over tactics, picking on others, threats to �get people�, where groups try to dominate others.
  
• Electronic sending malicious e-mails, text messages, MSN.
  
• Social exclusion, prejudice, gossip, spreading rumours.
  

I have asked my own child about being bullied at school, and the answer has always been "NO". However, looking at the above definitions, and having seen some things myself, the answer is actually "Yes".

However, the degree of bullying, that I am aware of, isn't enough to justify any major concern on my behalf.

Children cannot be wrapped in cotton wool all the time, and must learn to be able to look after themselves, wherever possible and appropriate.

But, I will keep asking, and if ever a serious bullying occurs... that will be a very different matter