The latest

As we approach the beginning of another school year for most young people, I thought it would be fitting to present the latest available statistics on bullying.

They are here:

"

• 45% of young people experience bullying before the age of 18.
• 26% of those bullied have experienced bullying on a daily basis.
• 40% of respondents reported being bullied for personal appearance 36% reported being bullied for body shape, size and weight.
• 39% have never told anybody that they are being bullied.
• 51% were not satisfied with the bullying support that they got from teachers.
• 34% reported being bullied for prejudice based reasons (homophobia/ racism/religious discrimination/disability discrimination/cultural discrimination/transphobia).
• 63% of respondents with a physical disability were bullied, and were more extremely socially excluded.
• 61% of respondents have been physically attacked.
• 30% have gone on to self-harm as a result of bullying.
• 10% have attempted to commit suicide as a result of bullying.
• 10% of respondents reported been sexually assaulted.
• 83% said bullying had a negative impact on their self-esteem.
• 56% said bullying affected their studies.
• 41% of those who had never been bullied achieved A or A*grades in English. 30% of those who had been bullied in the past achieved an A or A* in English. 26% of those being bullied achieved an A or A* in English. The trends were similar across Science and Maths."

The figures are from The Annual Bullying Survey in the UK (2014)

http://www.ditchthelabel.org/uk-bullying-statistics-2014/

3,600 13-18 year olds from 36 schools participated in the survey.

My mother maintained that she was never bullied. I know that I was. Sometimes I don't want to understand people who bully another person or people. I just wish they would stop. I wish they would use their time in positive ways and stop making other folks' lives a complete misery.

I wonder that, since I was bullied at school many years ago, the sad old song is still being sung.

It's time to see alternatives.

It's time to stop the song.

It's time to teach youngsters that they can, must, treat everyone with respect, even if they don't like them.

I don't know how teachers can do that.

But I know that, within the family, there can be respect from one person to another.

I know that home education grows you as a sentient being, a being who can feel someone else's pain. And, when you feel someone else's pain, you don't bully. It hurts too much.