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Cyberbullying is rarely out of the news and we regularly hear reports where abusive messages have been spread by email or social networking sites/apps. In extreme cases, young people have been driven to suicide because they were unable to cope with the emotional trauma of being cyberbullied. Cyberbullying is clearly a very serious challenge for parents, teachers and community workers.
On 27th September 2013, a forum on cyberbullying, hosted by Irish MEP Seán Kelly, was held in Limerick in Ireland. The forum was arranged in order to raise awareness of online bullying and it was stressed how the huge increase in mobile technology has given rise to malicious online activity. It also highlighted that cyberbullying mainly affects children, teenagers and young adults with children as young as six years old using social media.
Seán Fallon of the Anti-Bullying Campaign explained that cyberbullying is a form of bullying. This may sound obvious, but many people think it is an isolated problem, when in fact it is simply an additional form of bullying.
Bullies are people who want to dominate and hurt others, and the majority of cyberbullies also use traditional methods of bullying (e.g. pushing, hitting, name-calling etc). Seán also highlighted that in a recent survey, 12% of 10-year-olds said they were bullied weekly and around 30% of teenage pupils were bullied in any half-term period.
We can also look at some frightening statistics concerning the UK from the NSPCC:
- 38% of young people have been affected by cyberbullying.
- Almost half (46%) of children and young people say they have been bullied at school at some point in their lives.
- 38% of disabled children are worried about being bullied.
- 18% of children and young people who are worried about bullying said they would not talk to their parents about it.
Ultimately, we need to focus on all bullying — not just cyberbullying, and we need to tackle this issue as early as possible, as soon as children start school. If we can nip it in the bud in primary school, it won’t carry on into secondary school.
It is also clear that only adults can deal effectively with bullying, and in most cases this points to teaching professionals. To tackle bullying successfully, the following is necessary:
- Teachers need to know about bullying.
- Teachers need to know what to do about bullying.
- Teachers need to fully understand the impact of bullying and the effect is has on everyone.
It is important to change the behaviour of the bully and make them realise that bullying is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. In addition, we need to empower all young people to report bullying, including the targets of bullying as well as the bystanders, by helping them develop confidence and self-esteem.
Bullying is bad for everyone involved, and rather than relying on one-off anti-bullying campaigns, all schools need a long-term approach to bullying and cyberbullying thereby promoting a safe and secure atmosphere which is conducive to learning.
Bullying Resources
Bullying — A Complete Approach
Contains hints and tips for teachers, parents and young people to enable them to identify and tackle bullying.
- Age range: 12 years and upwards
- Category: Schools
- Published: 1999
- Last revised: 2022
- Pages: 94
Bullying in the Workplace
This pack provides guidance for companies on tackling workplace bullying, supporting the targets of bullying and ensuring the wellbeing of staff.
- Category: Business
- Published: 2020
- Last revised: 2022
- Pages: 50
Bullying Lesson Plans
Bullying and Cyberbullying
This lesson plan covers how to deal with bullying and cyberbullying and contains handouts for the classroom.
- Age range: 12 years and upwards
- Category: Schools
- Published: 2019
- Last revised: 2021
- Pages: 15
Bullying
This covers bullying, the types of bullying, the bully, the target and how to tackle bullying.
- Age range: 12 years and upwards
- Category: Schools
- Published: 2019
- Last revised: 2021
- Pages: 13
Playground Bullying
A lesson plan on playground bullying, the issues caused and addressing the topic.
- Age range: 12 years and upwards
- Category: Schools
- Published: 2022
- Pages: 17
Free Bullying Resources
Anti-Bullying Policy For Workplaces
A free template to help you develop your own anti-bullying policy for your workplace.
- Category: Business
- Pages: 8
Free Download
Anti-Bullying Policy For Schools
A free template to help you develop your own anti-bullying policy for your school.
- Category: Schools
- Pages: 8
Free Download
Targets of Bullying
This free download covers what a bully is and the targets of bullying. See our resource pack 'Bullying — A Complete Approach' for a more comprehensive discussion on bullying, including worksheets, activities and lessons.
- Category: Schools
- Pages: 6
Free Download