A Newport woman whose daughter last week returned home from school with bruises on her legs says more support is needed for children who are bullied.
Lynda Ramage, who asked that her daughter’s name and school not be published, has reported the incident to police.
She said her daughter’s plight had brought home the need for more support for all victims of bullying.
Ms Ramage said her child, 15, had been “terrorised” since primary school with other students threatening to burn her and to “smash her face in”.
“As a mum, it’s heartbreaking to see your child go to tears and become a shell of themselves,” she said. “She was a happy, bubbly 12-year-old when this happened.
“She withdrew within herself. She didn’t want to go to school. Her grades were slipping and it really affected her and in turn it affected me.’’
Ms Ramage said her daughter had been afraid to make a statement to police because of the potential for reprisal.
“[She] was in tears, actually, going down there because she said to me, ‘What if the boys come back at me or there’s any repercussions?’ and I said there won’t be. I said, ‘The police are there to help you.’
“And I mentioned it to the officer and he said, ‘No, if there’s any repercussions we will drag them in and we will charge them’.”
She said schools needed to do more to ensure their anti-bullying policies were acted on. Ms Ramage said children experiencing bullying needed to tell someone. “I want them to know that if they can’t talk to their mum and dad, there is someone else out there they can turn to: their counsellor at school.
“Speak to their friend’s mum if they can’t speak to their parents.”
Earlier this year, a remembrance plaque was unveiled at Altona Meadows for local teenager Allem Halkic who took his life in 2009 after enduring cyberbullying in silence.
In the wake of his death, Bully Zero was formed. Ali Halkic, Allem’s father, said the organisation helped schools deal with bullying issues. “Awareness plays such an important part and Bully Zero’s focus is to ensure we become the leaders in support and awareness and to make people accountable for their actions.”
» Bully Zero details: www.bfaf.org.au
