MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Mossel Bay ACVV social workers receive one or more complaints about bullying every day.
This is according to the head of the social workers, Amanda Beukes.
She says: "The complaints are mainly from girls and mostly about emotional and verbal abuse. Boys do not usually complain." Beukes says this is because of a "boys don't cry" mentality.
She warned that bullying was increasing and it was hampering children's performance at school. But even more shocking is the fact that parents are bullying school teachers.
Beukes says that if children have not made it into a certain sports team, some parents take this out on the teacher. She says the parents could be trying to live out their unrealised sport ambitions through their children.
Roadshow
AfriForum, recognising the huge problem of cyber bullying, is undertaking a nationwide anti-bully roadshow. AfriForum's Leandie Bräsler was in Mossel Bay at the end of April and spoke about the programme at Point High School.
She says the roadshow gives tips on handling cyber bullies and warns about the consequences if people place bad material on social media or send it on WhatsApp.
Parents must be involved and look at children's cellphones, Bräsler says. "They must know what is on the phones." For more information on the roadshow and curbing bullying, see https://afriforum.co.za/afknouery-in-skole.
Complaint box
Hartenbos Primary School has a special system to fight bullying. Children can write a complaint on a piece of paper and place it in a box at reception. It is preferred if the piece of paper is signed by a teacher or a parent. The complaint is investigated by the school's Behaviour Committee.
Headmaster Werner van Huyssteen says complaints received are mainly about physical bullying.
He notes that the topic of bullying is part of the subject, Life Orientation, in the Grade 6 curriculum at schools.
Van Huyssteen says some parents "don't understand the concept of bullying".
He notes: "Bullying is a constant thing. It happens more than once." He says some parents "cry wolf" after only a single incident.
NPO which fights bullying
The Anti-Bullying Academy non-profit organisation was established and constituted on 26 January this year by Mossel Bay local, Karen Gray.
She owns her own beauty pageant company and is a model coach and counsellor.
Gray had the idea of starting an NPO in 2019 after she read an article about a Gauteng learner, aged 13, who committed suicide on 21 February 2019 because of cyber bullying.
Gray does her own fundraising for the NPO - mainly in the form of colour fun runs.
Secretary of the Anti-Bullying Academy, Deon Lensing, says the NPO will hold anti-bullying camps and seek legal help for victims of bullying.
It also wishes to provide counselling for victims.
Call Gray (081 869 6090) or Lensing (078 082 5725) for more information.
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