Anti-Bullying Week shines a light on bullying, sending a clear and positive message that it is neither acceptable or inevitable in our schools and communities. Held in November each year, Anti-Bullying Week is run by the ABA, with funding support from the DCSF.

This year's Anti-Bullying Week campaign is‘Stay safe in Cyberspace’.  The focus is on cyberbullying - the use of information communications technology (ICT), particularly mobile phones and the internet, to deliberately upset someone else.  Research* has found that more than a third of 12–15-year-olds have faced some form of cyberbullying.

Unfortunately, some people just don’t take cyberbullying as seriously as other forms of bullying - maybe because it is indirect and often perceived as anonymous. That doesn’t stop it from causing harm; children and young people tell us that it is painful and can feel inescapable:

“I felt that no one understood what I was going through. I didn’t know who was sending me these messages. I felt powerless and didn’t know what to do.”

A key message for this year’s Anti-Bullying Week is that modern technologies remain a positive and productive part of the lives of children and young people and they can be used safely and constructively.

ABA has developed a briefing pack on cyberbullying to use in support of Anti-Bullying Week 2009. Packed full of information, ideas and links to useful materials for schools and others working with children and young people, it also pulls together resources from a range of sources, including DCSF and ABA members. Please feel free to use it during Anti-Bullying Week and in support of your anti-bullying work throughout the year. Another resource pack has been developed specifically for use in further education colleges.

*  conducted as part of the DCSF cyberbullying information campaign