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Bullying Canada: Poll Says Half Of Canadians Bullied As Children Or Teens

Bullying

First Posted: 02/15/2012 2:18 pm Updated: 02/15/2012 3:10 pm

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TORONTO - A new survey finds that half of Canadian adults polled say they were bullied as a child or teenager.

The Harris-Decima survey conducted for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada found 85 per cent of respondents believe that providing youngsters who bully others with a volunteer mentor is an effective way to reduce bullying.

The phone survey of more than 1,000 Canadians also explored the value of mentoring as a means to prevent abusive behaviours and assist those who are bullied to rebuild their confidence and self-esteem.

Among those who were bullied, 62 per cent believe they would have benefited from having a volunteer adult mentor to help them cope. And 87 per cent of adults polled agree that action to reduce bullying strengthens communities over time.

The poll also found 89 per cent of respondents believe bullying poses a serious threat to the long-term well-being of children and teens. Nearly a third of those polled say they think the abuse they suffered had a lasting harmful effect.

The Harris-Decima phone survey for Big Brothers Big Sisters Canada had a sample of 1,034 adults and was conducted between Jan. 5 and Jan. 9. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

The survey findings unveiled Wednesday coincide with the release of a report on the mental health of Canadian teens commissioned by the Public Health Agency of Canada, which contained a chapter that also delved into the subject of bullying.

The study of 26,000 Canadians aged 11 to 15 found that higher proportions of young people reported being victims of violence in the form of bullying: 22 per cent in 2010 compared to 20 per cent in a 2002 survey. However, the Queen's University-led report also said the prevalence of young people who report they bully others appears to have declined — from 15 per cent in 2002 to 12 per cent in 2010.

The study also found that the prevalence of fighting has decreased since the 2006 cycle of the Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children survey.

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Online:

Big Brothers Big Sisters Canada:

www.bigbrothersbigsisters.ca

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TORONTO - A new survey finds that half of Canadian adults polled say they were bullied as a child or teenager.The Harris-Decima survey conducted for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada found 85 per cen...
TORONTO - A new survey finds that half of Canadian adults polled say they were bullied as a child or teenager.The Harris-Decima survey conducted for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada found 85 per cen...
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
typeterson
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07:55 PM on 02/15/2012
bullying has a distinct trickle-down effect. it's not just jocks picking on nerds. bullying exists within all social cliques, and then it crosses over into other cliques. the worst kind of bullying, i feel, and the bullying thats starts the awful chain of abuse, is the bullying that happens in the home, whether it be parent to child or sibling to sibling. this is by far the most damaging, and its the children who are bullied at home who lash out at others who are vulnerable outside the home.
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