The Click Bullying Into Touch campaign

Imagine being terrified to leave the house because you know that each day you will suffer aggression, violence and abuse from people who sit next to you in class as you try in vain to concentrate and do the very best you can. They push you around, steal your mobile, spit and scream abuse, divide you from your friends and leave you isolated, lonely and with nobody to turn to. This is the average day in a life for the hundreds of thousands of young people who are being bullied. It has to stop!

We look back at a year scarred by reports of teenagers taking their own lives. Children who were, at times, so viciously targeted by bullies in their schools and on their computer screens they could no longer cope. So, together with the News of the World, Beatbullying demands a firm response from the social networking industry and a formalisation of intent by all political parties to rise to the challenge of protecting our children from bullying and child-on-child violence. 

Social Networking Sites

Cyber bullying is growing at an alarming rate and cohesive action is required to tackle the problem now. Beatbullying and the News of the World are asking for all Social Networking Sites to make it easier for young people and their families to report offensive posts and then to react within six hours to remove them. 

In schools

Schools remain the frontline in bullying prevention. Beatbullying and the News of the World recommend that every school appoints a Senior Teacher to hold responsibility for anti-bullying policy and become a single point of contact for parents, pupils and Local Authorities. 

Politics

Beatbullying and the News of the World hopes to see funded anti-bullying policy from the coalition government.  It would cost just 4 Quid a Kid to put bullying prevention programmes into every school. 

Schools' Safety Bill

The Government is taking admirable strides to address bullying in schools, but there is still no law protecting our children from bullying. Beatbullying and the News of the World recommends the creation of a Schools' Safety Bill, making it explicitly against the law to bully, abuse or harass a pupil or teacher in or around school.

For Heads, this will enable and empower them to make swift and fair disciplinary decisions.

For the victim, the benefit is clear – in the most extreme cases there will be a power to prosecute. 

This is a watershed moment for children who are being bullied and their families, because the News of the World and Beatbullying begin a campaign which will help put an end to the terror and fear that far too many of our young people experience every day of their lives. If you believe Children have a right to a life free from violence, then show your support now and together we can beat bullying.

Emma-Jane Cross, CEO, Beatbullying

Show you care by signing up to the campaign now!