104/46 Graingers Rd, West Footscray
Bullying & Harassment
What is bullying?
Bullying is repeated and unreasonable behaviour that can affect your health and wellbeing. Different types of bullying are:- Physical: kicking, pushing, touching, stalking.
- Verbal: name calling, threats.
- Social: spreading rumours, excluding someone.
- Psychological: causing emotional distress.
- Cyberbullying: posting of offensive comments on social media, emails or through text message.
What is sexual harassment?
- Sexually offensive staring or gesturing
- Sexually oriented comments
- Sexually based jokes directed at another person
- Physical contact of a sexual nature such as patting, pinching or touching someone without their consent
Psychological impact
How bullying and harassment can affect you
- Low self-esteem and loss of confidence
- Anxiety
- Sadness or low mood
- Fear
- Anger
- Embarrassment
- Poor mental or physical health
- Difficulty concentrating
- Decreased academic or work performance
- Avoidance – poor school/work attendance
Strategies for Children
- Increasing supervision of children when with other children
- Let children know what bullying is, why it is unacceptable, and how to spot it
- Making clear rules and consistent consequences for all children
- Praise children when they play cooperatively with others
- Teach children that telling a trusted person about bullying is okay
- Teach children how to stand up for themselves
- Help children to improve their social skills and self-esteem
Strategies for Adults
- Create a safe space for employees to voice their concerns around bullying in the workplace
- Break the collusion of silence amongst colleagues about the bully’s behaviour and its effects on victim(s)
- Offer the bully every assistance possible to improve and change his or her behaviour
- Deal with bullying through supervisory support and disciplinary processes
- Model respectful behaviour from the top down and set clear expectations at all levels of the organisation