New anti-bullying campaign shifts focus

Kids Helpline is pushing for greater insight into why kids bully as opposed to the devices and technology used for bullying.

Yourtown/Kids Helpline chief executive officer Tracy Adams said the anti-bullying debate focusing on smart phones and social media needed to shift towards the motives behind bullying.

“Banning smart phones from children’s lives does not mean bullying behaviour will stop, while there is no doubt digital devices play a part in bullying. In reality it’s not where most bullying takes place,” Ms Adams said.

“Seventy-three per cent of contacts to Kids Helpline about bullying last year said it did not include a cyber online or texting component.

“We need to acknowledge that regardless of how the bullying is done the bullying behaviour is the same and look at ways to unpack, understand and mitigate this.”

New Kids Helpline data released showed 3,523 young people contacted the national helpline service last year about bullying with seven out of 10 experiencing bullying directly.

“Most kids talking to us about bullying were between 5-12 years of age with 83 per cent of contacts telling us bullying related to school,” Ms Adams said.

“The majority of bullying experienced by children and young people involved verbal abuse (26 per cent) or exclusion, isolation and/or spreading of rumours (13 per cent).

“Alarmingly, one in 20 said they endured intimidation, extortion or threats of personal harm (six per cent) and in five per cent of cases physical aggression or assault. Twenty-two percent faced more than one type of bullying at the same time.

“Clearly these statistics are unacceptable with some bullying having devastating effects on young lives now and into the future.”

She said it was important to remember kids who bully were not “bad kids” after a survey conducted in February by Kids Helpline revealed many were bullying in retribution.

“An interim survey on cyber bullying found the line between bully and bullied blurred with 52 per cent engaged in cyber-bullying being cyber-bullied themselves.

“Bullying behaviours can be due to complex and diverse reasons, including underdeveloped emotional tools and coping mechanisms, limited parent interaction and peer pressure.”

Ms Adams said bullying was not just limited to children, with many kids often imitating behaviours picked up from parents and other adults.

“There’s not just one solution to this issue and it’s time we put the energy into delving into the many reasons young people bully and how we as a community can guide positive relationships and behaviours.

“A good first step is thinking of ways to effectively help children and young people resolve conflicts, recognise and manage feelings associated with being confronted and learn how to embrace differences.

“Teaching kids about the positive use of digital technology and social media will ultimately be way more effective than attempting the impossible task of removing digital devices completely or in school environments.”

Kids Helpline is Australia’s only free, private and confidential 24/7 phone and online counselling service specifically for children and young people aged 5 to 25 years. Phone 1800 551 800 or head to kidshelpline.com.au.