Bullying in New Zealand

It should be celebrated every day to keep the kaupapa going all year. Bullying is never okay. All people have the right to be treated with dignity and respect. Everyone has the right to feel safe in their home, school, workplace, church and community.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) report highlights the significant impact bullying has on students' mental health and attendance. Shockingly New Zealand has the highest rate of bullying among OECD countries. Findings for the 2018 report indicated that 15 percent of students in New Zealand reported being frequently bullied.

This is not okay and should be an alarm to families, schools, communities and the entire nation. I believe it starts in the home. If people feel loved and respected they will thrive. I'll share a compelling story that paints the grim reality of society today.

Author Gary Smalley tells a troubling and thought-provoking story in his book Making Love Last Forever. A prison volunteer got an idea that prisoners might like to send Mother's Day cards to their mothers. She wrote to a greeting card company and asked it to donate cards. The company responded graciously and generously to her request. Demand from the prisoners was overwhelming. The volunteer ran out of cards before she ran out of sons who wanted to send expressions of love to their mothers.

Father's Day falls after Mother's Day so the volunteer decided that, given the success of the Mother’s Day card initiative, she would do the same for Father's Day. She contacted the card company and once again it honoured her request. The woman let the prisoners know that free Father's Day cards were available and she waited for the men to rush in and get them. Not one of those felons asked for a card. Not a single prisoner wanted to express love to his dad. The woman realised that those men carried a deep resentment and even hatred toward their fathers, many of whom were absent in their sons' lives.

Bullying can take many forms, including verbal, relational, cyberbullying, sexual and prejudicial. It may also include harassment, discrimination, violence, victimisation, humiliation, intimidation or threatening behaviour. People targeted often feel they are unable to protect themselves due to real or perceived power imbalances. They are more likely to experience mental distress and vulnerability.

Bullying harms people and has a rippling effect as it impacts the health, safety and wellbeing of others. Every organisation or undertaking must minimise the likelihood of bullying by putting in place control measures such as having a code of conduct and reporting procedures for unreasonable behaviours. There are steps that can be taken to resolve bullying behaviour by gathering information and keeping records of the bullying incident. Witnesses should be encouraged to speak up and seek advice from a health and safety representative, union, an Employee Assistance Programme (if available), a local community law centre or Citizens Advice Bureau.

Bullying can be prevented by incorporating strong and well communicated policies, processes and practices that affirm inclusion and psychological safety. A range of services and resources are available from Worksafe NZ Click Here . Call a helpline for information about what you can do if you are being bullied or accused of bullying or download the Pink Shirt Day toolkit. Click Here

Let us stomp out bullying and help improve New Zealand's record and reputation with the OECD.