Bullying is a complex social issue which is not the responsibility of one individual or group. It’s everyone’s responsibility especially those who have responsibility for the care of children.
At Young’s Bus Service we take bullying allegations very seriously. We are a public transport provider that operates under the Department of Transport and Main Roads Code of Conduct . This means we participate actively in managing bullying. Physical bullying which affects passenger safety can be easily observed but forms of bullying, while being totally unacceptable, can be very difficult to identify as threats to passenger safety. With a strong focus on enforcing our policies and the law, our fleet of buses are also fitted out with the latest in security cameras. In partnership with law enforcement agencies, video footage can be used to assist complainants with their complaints.
If you or your child is a victim of bullying, we recommend you take the following steps.
- If possible notify the bus driver immediately or at anytime when it is safe to do so.
- If you’re a child, let a parent, guardian or adult know.
- Report the bullying allegations to Young’s Bus Service via our website feedback form. The entire process is confidential.
- Raise concerns with your school principal immediately.
- Report it to the Queensland Police Service via Policelink
Useful information about strategies to identify and to deal with bullying is available at www.bullyingnoway.gov.au. You can also read the Student Code of Conduct.
Cyber bullying
Bullying can occur in many ways and with the aid of technology, it can occur anytime from anywhere. This is called cyber bullying. In many instances, cyber bullying is an extension of bullying or conflict occurring within the school. Victims often note that the harassment they experience online mirrors their experience at school. Further, the perpetrators are in many instances the same.
Cyberbullying inevitably takes a personal toll on its targets. More than 40 per cent of young people surveyed by the Office told us they were adversely affected by experiencing negative conduct online. Emotions range from anger and fear, to feeling disempowered and socially isolated. In almost half of these cases, children and teens indicated that their self-esteem had also been affected.
According to the Office of the eSafety Commissioner “Since July 2015 the Commissioner has resolved approximately 550 complaints in relation to cyber bullying material. The Office’s research indicates that cyberbullying manifests itself in many forms, impacting both children and teenagers. In the 12 months to June 2016, 8% of children and 19% of teenagers were cyber bullied, and we saw a 63% increase in complaints about cyberbullying between 2015-16 and 2016-17. Further, research indicates that girls are cyberbullied more frequently than boys, although an increasing number of boys were targets over 2016-17. The most common forms of cyberbullying are social exclusion, name-calling, and the spreading of lies and malicious rumours. Our experience shows that children and teens are predominantly bullied online by those in their own peer group.”
If your child is experiencing cyber bullying, please visit the website of the Office of the eSafety Commissioner for immediate assistance. This Commonwealth Government agency has the statutory power to assist you. Visit https://esafety.gov.au for more info.
