With the rise of smartphones and social media, bullying has evolved far beyond the schoolyard, creating additional challenges for school communities to protect young people.
In this episode of the SCU Buzz podcast, Dr Vanessa Miller and Dr Tony Yeigh from Southern Cross University's Faculty of Education explore the growing issue of cyberbullying and share their expert recommendations for addressing this national problem.
Repeated instances of bullying can be a major hinderance to students in accessing an education. Dr Yeigh explains: "Students that are bullied regularly experience depression and stop engaging with their schoolwork. They may absentee more and isolate themselves. It's very detrimental and can have lifelong effects on someone."
The digital age has intensified the issue. Smartphones and social media mean bullying can occur anywhere, anytime.
"In the past, bullying might have happened mostly at school but now it follows students home," Dr Miller says. "It's 24/7 though their phones, group chats, gaming platforms and social media feeds. It adds a whole layer of complexity."
The Headspace National Youth Mental Health Survey 2020 found that over half of young people reported experiencing a form of cyberbullying in their lifetime and about one in four had received a threatening message online or by text.
"What makes cyberbullying so complex is that it's covert and hard to detect. It can involve anonymous accounts, private messages or subtle but damaging exclusion from group chats," Dr Miller says.
"Students are often reluctant to report this type of bullying because they may have their phones taken away from them. Students are told to block users or delete messages but that is not enough."
Currently, there is no national approach to tackling bullying and cyberbullying in schools. In response to this, the Federal Government has initiated an Anti-Bullying Rapid Review with the aim of developing a consistent national standard for preventing and responding to bullying in schools.
Dr Miller and Dr Yeigh have outlined their recommendations for the national review , including better tracking and measuring, adopting a whole school approach and implementing social emotional learning.
"We need a clear, well-communicated anti-bullying policy which defines bullying, outlines reporting procedures and sets out consistent responses. Visibility, communication and active use of the policy are just as important as having one in place" Dr Miller says.
"We also need to build a culture where our students feel safe to report bullying by normalising the reporting of bullying. We know that there is a stigma around dobbing, yet students also need to feel safe and supported."
