Anti-bullying drive
YOUNGER bullying victims are being encouraged to tell their story to help improve support services at upcoming events in Widnes.
Cheshire’s Police And Crime Commissioner David Keane (pictured) launched an antibullying commission earlier this year which is bringing together a group of community representatives to look into incidents of bullying both on and off line.
It is designed to tackle the issue of bullying which Mr Keane says is ‘an epidemic among all generations of our society’.
Now he has opened a call for evidence which will travel across the county giving people the opportunity to share their experiences of bullying.
The commissioner wants to capture as many views as possible during the call for evidence.
The first stage, which will collect evidence until November before reporting in early 2020, will focus on giving young people under 25 a voice. The second and third stages will explore workplace bullying and the targeting of older people. It will not only ask people about their experiences at the time of being bullied but also what support services they would like to see in place to support future victims of bullying.
The evidence gathered will then be reviewed by the commission members and will be used to develop a set of recommendations for police and other criminal justice organisations, education establishments and elected representatives to consider how they can provide more protection for victims of bullying.
Mr Keane said: “We see the devastating effects bullying can have on the self-esteem or confidence of young people every day.
“In some cases it’s even led to suicide or self-harm. With the advent of cyberbullying, bullying can now be relentless with no respite for its victims.
“We need to do more to protect young people but first we need to understand what support mechanisms need to be in place.
“What better way to do this than speaking to those who have lived experiences of bullying, whether that be someone who’s been bullied themselves or a parent or guardian who has watched their child suffer at the hands of bullies.”