74 kids subjected to cyberbullying

A Tele investigation has revealed 74 incidents of pupil-on-pupil cyberbullying were recorded in 2014/15, 2015/16 and 2016/17.

Half of the incidents, 37 in all, took place in 2015/16 alone, up from 18 the previous year.

However, the number of incidents recorded in 2016/17 to date has dropped to 19.

Councillor Stewart Hunter, Dundee City Council’s education convener, said the authority had put “a lot of work” into keeping up with trends in cyberbullying.

He said: “We’ve got an anti-bullying policy and do a lot of work regarding bullying, including appointing senior pupils to be mentors, and if kids feel reluctant to go to staff they can go to them. We recognise that cyberbullying is a huge thing now, bigger than it was five years ago.

“It’s been a huge piece of work to make sure we keep on top of bullying as it has changed. Five years ago, social media and smartphones weren’t as prevalent as they are now.

“We are aware of the impact it can have, and we’re speaking to pupils to make sure they are aware as well.”

Mr Hunter added that if pupils feared they were a victim of cyberbullying, they shouldn’t be afraid to report it.

He said: “If someone feels they have been cyberbullied, speak to a teacher or a senior pupil, such as the head boy. Make sure someone is aware of it — it can’t be dealt with if we aren’t aware of it.

“We want to make sure we can give people all of the support and the help that we can.”

Figures from NSPCC Scotland revealed the number of youngsters experiencing cyberbullying has risen by 88% in the last five years, and the topic is “rapidly” becoming the main type of bullying addressed by Childline.

A spokesman for NSPCC Scotland said: “Online bullying is one of the biggest child protection challenges of this generation and intensified by the everincreasing reach of the internet.

“The 24/7 nature of social media means that a child can be targeted around the clock, unable to escape the trolls that haunt them.

“Bullying, regardless of whether it occurs online or in person, can have a devastating impact.”

DOZENS of Dundee schoolchildren have been subjected to cyberbullying by other pupils in the last three years.

PUPILS from a city primary school performed samba outside a local church as part of the Aspire Dundee music programme. The P5/6 youngsters from Rosebank Primary took to the street outside the Steeple Church with tutor Ricky Linn to show off their...

Stewart Hunter