Each year, Anti-Bullying Week encourages schools, communities, and individuals to come together to promote kindness, inclusion, and mutual respect. Anti-Bullying Week 2024 (11-15 November) continues this essential tradition with a powerful message: creating safe spaces and giving everyone a voice to stand up against bullying. Through activities, awareness campaigns, and educational events, this week aims to foster a culture of empathy and action, highlighting that everyone has a role to play in preventing bullying.
The Theme for 2024: “Voices United”
The theme for Anti-Bullying Week 2024 is "Voices United." This theme emphasizes the importance of speaking up and supporting each other in creating a bullying-free world. "Voices United" calls on individuals and communities to actively support those who may feel silenced or marginalized, ensuring that every voice is valued, respected, and heard. This theme encourages everyone to raise awareness of bullying’s impact, empower bystanders to take action, and promote inclusive environments where kindness and respect flourish.
Why Anti-Bullying Week Matters
Bullying is a pervasive issue that affects people of all ages but is especially harmful to young individuals. Bullying takes on multiple forms, including physical, verbal, relational, and cyberbullying. It can have long-lasting effects on a person’s self-esteem, mental health, and academic or professional performance. Anti-Bullying Week brings crucial awareness to these issues, urging us to address and prevent bullying in all its forms.
Statistics show that a significant percentage of young people experience bullying at some point, with many feeling isolated or unsupported. Anti-Bullying Week helps spotlight these experiences, creating a platform where people can speak out, share, and support each other. It’s a reminder that no one should have to face bullying alone.
Extending Anti-Bullying Week Beyond November
The efforts of Anti-Bullying Week should not be limited to one week in November. Everyone can make a year-round commitment to anti-bullying principles by continuing the conversations, programs, and values shared during Anti-Bullying Week. Ongoing support can include peer support programs, mental health resources, and ongoing education about empathy and inclusivity.
What can I do if I experience or witness bullying?
Report and Support is a way for you to report any incidence of bullying, harassment, a hate incident, sexual violence, domestic abuse, stalking, spiking or discrimination. Making a named report to Report and Support means an advisor can contact you to offer support. You can report anonymously if you just want the University to know about something.
An advisor can talk to you about reporting to student discipline or the police if this is what you would like to do. You have autonomy and an advisor we will support you in your decision. In rare circumstances where there are significant safeguarding concerns, the University may have a duty to act.