New figures reveal country schools have become hotbed for bullying

Alarming new figures have revealed the local government areas in Victoria that are becoming a hotbed for school bullying. Check how your local area compares.

Country schools have become a hotbed for bullying as it is revealed their students are more likely to be targeted than their city counterparts.

One in five regional and rural students in years 5-9 reported being bullied last year, compared with just 15.3 per cent of metropolitan students.

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The Education Department data also revealed the state’s worst local government areas for school bullying, with country LGAs claiming the unenviable title.

Almost 40 per cent of grade 5 and 6 pupils in Loddon in central Victoria were bullied, followed by 27.8 per cent in Central Goldfields and 26.7 per cent in Benalla.

Ararat topped the list for bullying in years 7-9 with 35 per cent of students targeted, ahead of Benalla and Strathbogie.

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE HOW YOUR LOCAL AREA RATES

Cardinia, in Melbourne’s southeast, rated as the worst metropolitan LGA for bullying in both the primary and secondary cohorts.

Victorian Principal’s Association president Anne-Maree Kliman said was “stunned” by the country and city divide.

“Clearly it indicates that we need to dive a little deeper to find out why,” she said.

“Perhaps it is an issue of isolation, and a lack of services available compared in regional and rural areas compared with metro areas.”

Country schools have become a hotbed for bullying as it is revealed their students are more likely to be targeted than their city counterparts.

Despite the alarming figures, the Attitudes to School Survey found that fewer students statewide were bullied in 2018 compared with the previous year.

The rate of bullying in grades 5 and 6 dropped from 19.5 to 15.9 per cent, while attacks on students in years 7-9 decreased from 20.8 per cent to 17.5 per cent.

An Education Department spokeswoman said bullying was “completely unacceptable”.

“We want all schools to be safe and inclusive places for all students,” the spokeswoman said.

“We’re focused on preventing and addressing bullying where it does occur, and supporting students who are bullied.”

The National Centre Against Bullying told the Herald Sun that bullying affected every child differently, but common signs included disrupted sleeping or eating and mood changes.

Centre manager Stephen Bendle said “everyone” needed to take a stand against bullying.

“Everyone needs to recognise that bullying of any kind is unacceptable and we all need to role model behaviour that eliminates bullying from normal and common interactions,” he said.

“Families need to support their children, schools need teacher training and governments need to ensure that schools have the resources they need to deal with bullying complaints and incidents.”

Despite the alarming figures, the Attitudes to School Survey found that fewer students statewide were bullied in 2018 compared with the previous year.

RATE OF GRADE 5 TO 6 STUDENTS BULLIED

Alpine 17.0%

Ararat 24.9%

Ballarat 22.5%

Banyule 13.1%

Bass Coast 20.6%

Baw Baw 17.2%

Bayside 15.2%

Benalla 26.7%

Boroondara12.9%

Brimbank 16.2%

Buloke 11.9%

Campaspe 17.9%

Cardinia 18.0%

Casey 15.2%

Central Goldfields 27.8%

Colac-Otway 25.0%

Corangamite 22.8%

Darebin 13.4%

East Gippsland 18.4%

Frankston 15.7%

Gannawarra 12.5%

Glen Eira 14.0%

Glenelg 24.2%

Golden Plains 20.7%

Greater Bendigo 20.6%

Greater Dandenong 13.7%

Greater Geelong 16.7%

Greater Shepparton 17.8%

Hepburn 22.8%

Hindmarsh 19.5%

Hobsons Bay 16.4%

Horsham 17.4%

Hume 15.6%

Indigo 15.0%

Kingston 14.4%

Knox 14.7%

Latrobe 20.1%

Loddon 39.6%

Macedon Ranges 14.0%

Manningham 13.4%

Mansfield 10.8%

Maribyrnong 15.9%

Maroondah 11.5%

Melbourne 12.6%

Melton 16.9%

Mildura 19.0%

Mitchell 26.2%

Moira 14.5%

Monash 12.4%

Moonee Valley 17.6%

Moorabool 18.1%

Moreland 15.0%

Mornington Peninsula 17.3%

Mount Alexander 17.7%

Moyne 19.0%

Murrindindi 10.0%

Nillumbik 11.0%

Northern Grampians 22.2%

Port Phillip 13.2%

Pyrenees 15.0%

Queenscliffe 15.4%

South Gippsland 18.4%

Southern Grampians 19.1%

Stonnington 17.9%

Strathbogie 16.7%

Surf Coast 16.0%

Swan Hill 20.1%

Towong 15.2%

Wangaratta 15.8%

Warrnambool 15.2%

Wellington 18.6%

West Wimmera 19.3%

Whitehorse 10.8%

Whittlesea 14.9%

Wodonga 22.0%

Wyndham 15.6%

Yarra 16.4%

Yarra Ranges 15.1%

Yarriambiack 12.3%

RATE OF YEAR 7 TO 9 STUDENTS BULLIED

Alpine 17.2%

Ararat 35.0%

Ballarat 25.9%

Banyule 13.7%

Bass Coast 25.4%

Baw Baw 23.4%

Bayside 12.3%

Benalla 34.9%

Boroondara 12.0%

Brimbank 15.2%

Buloke 14.5%

Campaspe 25.9%

Cardinia 21.1%

Casey 16.3%

Central Goldfields 32.4%

Colac-Otway 26.1%

Corangamite 18.0%

Darebin 15.6%

East Gippsland 28.5%

Frankston 20.2%

Gannawarra 24.6%

Glen Eira 13.1%

Glenelg 22.3%

Golden Plains 33.1%

Greater Bendigo 21.1%

Greater Dandenong 15.0%

Greater Geelong 17.4%

Greater Shepparton 22.7%

Hepburn 24.0%

Hindmarsh 20.6%

Hobsons Bay 17.1%

Horsham 18.3%

Hume 16.3%

Indigo 23.7%

Kingston 15.9%

Knox 19.6%

Latrobe 24.1%

Loddon 24.0%

Macedon Ranges 13.8%

Manningham 15.9%

Mansfield 21.9%

Maribyrnong 14.3%

Maroondah 17.1%

Melbourne 12.8%

Melton 17.0%

Mildura 19.5%

Mitchell 27.5%

Moira 22.4%

Monash 14.2%

Moonee Valley 15.6%

Moorabool 24.3%

Moreland 14.7%

Mornington Peninsula 18.2%

Mount Alexander 28.0%

Moyne 24.8%

Murrindindi 20.9%

Nillumbik 15.6%

Northern Grampians 31.1%

Port Phillip 12.4%

Pyrenees 7.9%

Queenscliffe N/A

South Gippsland 20.5%

Southern Grampians 30.0%

Stonnington 7.3%

Strathbogie 33.8%

Surf Coast 19.6%

Swan Hill 29.0%

Towong 22.8%

Wangaratta 25.6%

Warrnambool 14.3%

Wellington 16.7%

West Wimmera 24.0%

Whitehorse 12.6%

Whittlesea 17.8%

Wodonga 28.4%

Wyndham 14.9%

Yarra 10.5%

Yarra Ranges 18.2%

Yarriambiack 23.0%

Source: 2018 Attitudes to School Survey

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