Bullying crisis: Alarming new data shows when kids are most at risk
Groundbreaking research exposes the age when children face their peak bullying risk, as experts warn traditional playground violence has evolved into something far more sinister.
Children in NSW are most likely to experience bullying at the age of 10 and the act has become increasingly covert and psychological, harrowing new research has revealed.
The data finds boys are more likely to be physically bullied while girls endure “relational” bullying, where they are socially excluded or have rumours spread about them.
The data – which shows about one in two NSW kids has been bullied – is contained in research from the state’s own anti-bullying task force, which interviewed hundreds of kids, parents and teachers in the wake of our Charlotte’s Wish documentary.
This review happened separately to the national anti-bullying rapid review, but state and federal figures will convene this week on the crisis.
“Bullying is increasing slightly, but it’s moving to new places, and it’s our job to understand those behaviours … and be able to respond accordingly,” said Professor Donna Cross, who led the review.
“The major reason that bullying happens at age 10 is (that) it’s developmentally associated with children recognising the power of peer groups and an importance – in their minds – of having multiple friendship groups.
“Prior to that age, children tend to have one best friend, or two or three best friends, who they stay close to.”
A “second peak” occurs in the transition to high school, when existing friendship groups and social hierarchies are disrupted again, resulting in some children bullying others to “reassert their social status” – often with greater duration and severity than in the primary years.
Overall, between 40 and 50 per cent of school-aged children have been bullied and, while cyber-bullying is on the rise, it remains less prevalent than face-to-face bullying, with about 20 per cent affected.
Most significantly, “the bullying has changed” compared with previous decades, Prof Cross said, manifesting in ways that are harder for teachers and parents to spot.
“We do see clear evidence that physical bullying was much more prevalent 10 to 15 years ago … which gives us much hope, because we’ve been able to discourage and change the behaviours of children who are engaged in more overt forms of bullying,” Professor Cross said.
“In doing so, that bullying has morphed and become much more covert.”
Having consulted with more than 370 individuals, Professor Cross said schools’ anti-bullying policies “certainly” needed greater consistency.
Students are still concerned about being perceived as “snitches” for speaking up and want to be able to report bullying anonymously.
“The loudest comment that (students) made was the importance of having staff who take bullying very seriously,” Prof Cross said.
“They wanted really clear consequences for bullying behaviour, and to … see that those are being put in place.”
In her research Professor Cross identified 10 nations where bullying experts are feeding the results of their own research directly into their education departments, and said each had one thing in common.
“In all of those countries, governments were taking the process of addressing bullying very seriously and had mandated the implementation of comprehensive anti-bullying policies,” the professor said.
“We are spending inordinate amounts of time dealing with bullying once it’s occurred, versus getting the resources at the front end of this issue to give a student skills to resolve conflict much more effectively … (and) to be able to regulate their own emotions so they don’t respond aggressively.”
Originally published as Bullying crisis: Alarming new data shows when kids are most at risk
