2019-03-06
By Hon Alison Xamon MLC, Member for the North Metropolitan Region
The subject of bullying is one that gets a significant amount of airplay. And so it should. Bullying has a lasting effect on children and their families and can impact on mental health and wellbeing, physical health, school attendance and school achievement. The harmful effects of bullying have been well-documented, and we are all aware of tragic cases where sustained bullying has led a young person to take their own lives.
Bullying is, unfortunately, common. According to Headspace, up to 46.8% of Australian secondary school students report they have been bullied in some form over the past 12 months. Bullying can take place just about anywhere – but bullying of children and young people is particularly harmful, and addressing bullying in schools presents an important challenge for school staff and the school community.
While anybody can be a victim of bullying, some children are particularly vulnerable. Students from non-English speaking backgrounds, those with disability and LGBTIQ students have all been identified as being at increased risk.
The Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission reports that bullying is a significant and widespread problem for students with disabilities, with six out of 10 reporting that they have been bullied because of their disability. According to the Queensland Government, more than 60 per cent of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder, for example, have reported being bullied once a week or more.
Studies have also found that LGBTI young people may face up to twice as much abuse or violence (including physical, mental, sexual or emotional) as other students, with 80 per cent of homophobic bullying occurring at school. These statistics start to emphasise, particularly for this vulnerable cohort of young people, how important programs like Safe Schools can be in changing attitudes at schools and providing protective factors.
Addressing bullying in schools crosses many core Greens’ aims – we want schools to be inclusive and accessible; we want to eliminate discrimination in the selection of students and staff; we want teachers to be equipped with the skills to adequately support all students and we want schools to welcome and celebrate diversity.
In addition to programs that aim to prevent bullying, we also need to provide adequate support for victims. It is appalling that one of the widely advertised first points of contact for children and young people who need urgent advice or counselling, Kids Helpline, is unable to meet demand. In 2017, a deeply concerning 56 per cent of the calls made to Kids Helpline did not get through. This is an area where we simply must do better.
The fact that bullying rates are so high clearly indicates that our schools are not yet safe spaces for all students. We have so much to do in this area to change public attitudes, to raise awareness and to ensure our schools are safe places.
The Greens will keep advocating to ensure our schools are caring, positive environments that celebrate diversity, and that school staff are equipped with the skills they need to be able to support all students, particularly those we know are more vulnerable to bullying.
All children and young people have the right to a safe, bullying-free education – and we must all keep advocating to make it happen.
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