Bullying is not just in the playground. That is the message from a Salford support group whose work is being highlighted during UK’s Anti-Bullying Week.
Salford Survivor Project, a service in Salford that supports people who are currently or have been in abusive relationships, is showing people that bullying affects adults too.
Jane Gregory, a member of the service, says: “I don’t think enough is spoken about different types of bullying.
“Unfortunately, bullying is all around us. When people think of bullying, they often think school bullies, but bullying everywhere in society.”
The team at Salford Survivor are trying to show people that bullying is a form of abuse that can happen to anybody.
Ms Gregory continues: “All abusers are bullies. They use their power to control somebody else and that’s exactly what a bully does.”
The projects aim is to try and support survivors or current victims of abuse to recognize these signs of control, for example somebody forcing you to drink alcohol or controlling your money. Once the signs can be recognized, they can help themselves out of the situation and stop the cycle of bullying.
Many survivors who have been bullied become bullies themselves according to Ms Gregory. She said: “We see it a lot with women who have been through domestic abuse. They can be quite domineering or controlling towards other people.
“It’s sad really because they’ve learnt from other people that have bullied them to protect themselves by doing this. In their eyes it’s a sign of strength when it’s a sign of weakness.”
This week we are supporting anti-bullying week with a very interesting collection of odd sock! #oddsocksday #antibullyingweek2018 pic.twitter.com/GfnY5ScA49
— Salford Foundation (@SalfordFDN) November 14, 2018
Raising awareness for all types of bullying, in schools and out of them, is important as it affects everybody. Salford Survivor and many other organisations in Salford are trying to raise this awareness.
Some do this through outwardly supporting anti-bullying week or everyday through their own work.
Raising awareness on this important issue should be celebrated so don’t forget your #oddsockday!
Are you and your kids wearing your odd socks today? ?
Be like @AndyDayTV & wear them to support Anti-Bullying Week! ❤️️
Find out more info here ? https://t.co/34SzfVAM3V#antibullyingweek #oddsocksday @abaonline pic.twitter.com/pPbtusF4qN
— CBeebies Grown-Ups (@CBeebiesHQ) November 12, 2018
Anti-Bullying Week has been held annually in November every year since 2004. It was started by the Anti-Bullying Alliance and each year has a different theme to tackle bullying; this year the theme is ‘chose respect’.
Many places and organisations across the UK are getting involved with the movement including those in Salford. It is suggested and commonly thought of that bullying affects school children more than most. According to the Anti-Bullying Alliance 79 per cent of children have been bullied either online or face-to-face in the past six months. Around 4 per cent of children experience bullying every day.
If you’ve been affected by this story or would like to find out, please use the links below:
Anti-bullying Alliance
Bullying.co.uk
Salford Survivors
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