Wellbeing Comment – Bullying and Harassment

Everyone has the right to feel and be safe at school, online and in the community.

Bullying No Way! (https://bullyingnoway.gov.au/understanding-bullying)

States “Bullying is the ongoing and deliberate misuse of power in relationships through repeated verbal, physical and/or social behaviour that intends to cause physical, social and/or psychological harm. It can involve an individual or a group misusing their power, or perceived power, over one or more persons who feel unable to stop it from happening. Bullying can happen in person or online, via various digital platforms and devices and it can be obvious (overt) or hidden (covert). Bullying behaviour is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time (for example, through sharing of digital records). Bullying of any form or for any reason can have immediate, medium and long-term effects on those involved, including bystanders.

Bullying is not (https://kidshelpline.com.au/teens/issues/bullying):

• Single incidents and conflict or fights between equals, whether in person or online.
• Being rude. E.g. someone pushing in front of you in a line.
• Being mean. E.g. Someone refusing to hang out with you one day.
• Conflict between two people. E.g. there is a disagreement, both sides are aggressive/ mean and there is no power imbalance between the two individuals (both sides can “stand up” for themselves), two friends getting into an argument and saying mean things to each other for example.
• Respectful feedback on behaviours that you’re doing that are not okay, e.g. “Its not okay to roll your eyes at someone while they’re talking”.
• A friend putting in a boundary- e.g. “I don’t like when you keep telling me what to do”
• Natural consequences in socialising, e.g. a friend not trusting you because you shared a secret.

 What now?

Bullying can make us feel unsafe and unhappy. If you are being bullied or see bullying happening, you can do something. If you are bullying others, you can access help to stop the bullying behaviour.

If bullying behaviours aren’t challenged, it can create an environment where bullying is accepted, and everyone feels powerless to stop it.

At School

1. Tell a teacher, Year Level Coordinator or Wellbeing Staff Member.
2. The sooner the school knows about the behaviours, the quicker the school can help and respond.

Online

1. Do not respond to online bullying.
2. Use privacy settings to set up your phone or laptop securely.
3. Block or unfriend people you do not trust or who have engaged in negative messaging.
4. Do not add people you do not know.
5. Keep a record of continued online bullying.
6. You can make a complaint to the eSafety Commissioner: If you are under 18 (or helping someone under 18) and the social media service doesn’t respond to your complaint within 48 hours, you can report seriously threatening, intimidating, harassing or humiliating online behaviour to the eSafety Commissioner. The team there can help you have the cyberbullying content taken down and get you further support.

Links

https://bullyingnoway.gov.au/understanding-bullying

https://kidshelpline.com.au/teens/issues/bullying

https://www.vic.gov.au/bully-stoppers

https://www.smilingmind.com.au/

https://schools.au.reachout.com/preventing-bullying

Resources CMCB

Student Bullying, Harassment and Discrimination Policy

The wellbeing team counsellors on both sites are available to meet with students who can self- refer using the online referral system through Wellbeing on SIMON, or by requesting a trusted staff member or parent/ career place a referral on their behalf. Students can also go to the general office to request an appointment with wellbeing, and urgent appointments are available each day which can be booked through the general office.