Bullying

Rainbow young people are more than four times as likely as their peers to experience weekly bullying at school.

Bullying can also occur at work, in community groups, online and within health and social services.

Homophobic, transphobic, interphobic and biphobic bullying can have serious effects on mental health, can affect academic achievement at school, and can have lifelong impacts on educational attainment, income and levels of satisfaction with rainbow identity.

To provide spaces that are safe and welcoming, all schools, youth spaces, community groups and workplaces should have a plan to prevent and address bullying that includes specific attention to rainbow-targeted bullying.

Preventing bullying is not just about changing individual attitudes and strengthening relationships, but also about creating an inclusive environment that affirms rainbow identities.

For decision makers and policy writers

If you’re developing policies or plans to address bullying, these key reports and studies will help you understand the issues and needs for rainbow people:

• Key local research into rainbow experiences of bullying includes:

  • the Youth2000 series, focused on sexuality and gender minority high school students. Youth’12 found nearly one in five sexual minority students, and nearly one in five transgender students, reported being bullied weekly or more often at school - more than four times the rate of their peers. Rainbow data from the Youth19 survey is due to be published in late 2020.

  • Counting Ourselves, a survey of transgender and non-binary people aged 14 to 83, which found more than one in five school students were bullied at least once a week. This study also looks at workplace bullying and cyberbullying.

  • Growing Up in New Zealand, a longitudinal study of 6,000 New Zealanders, which found in its Now We Are Eight report that 8 year old children who did not identify as a binary gender of girl or boy experienced bullying more commonly.

• Reports on rainbow bulling in New Zealand, and on bullying prevention initiatives, include:

  • Evaluation of Inside Out teaching resources.

  • How Safe? - How Safe and Inclusive Are Otago Secondary Schools? - Ae Ranei He Haumaru, He Whai Wahi Ki Te Katoa Nga Kura Tuarua O Otago? - A report on the implementation of recommendations from the "Safety in Our Schools - Ko Te Haumaru I O Tatou Kura" Action Kit

  • Educating for diversity: An informative evaluation of the Rainbow Youth sexuality and gender diversity workshops including a literature review on gender and sexuality based bullying

  • How safe are our schools? An analysis of the current policy framework aimed at protecting queer young people in New Zealand secondary schools - a Green Party report from 2014

• Some advice for schools on LGBT bullying – an article from Dr John Fenaughty sharing some evidence-based actions schools can take to address bullying and support LGBT+ student achievement.

For schools, youth workers and service providers working with rainbow people

These resources are designed to help prevent and respond to homophobic, transphobic, interphobia and biphobic bullying in schools, workplaces and other places where rainbow people might be targeted.

• Ending rainbow-focused bullying and discrimination is a workbook produced by InsideOUT - you can download or order free print copies from their website. InsideOUT has a range of resources and initiatives for creating more rainbow-inclusive schools, including a network of regional school coordinators, professional development for staff and Schools Pride Week.

• The Inside Out video series – a set of free teaching resources designed for classroom use, which aim to decrease homophobic and transphobic bullying by affirming diversity and challenging discrimination. Developed in partnership between RainbowYOUTH, CORE Education, Curative and the University of Auckland

• Guide to LGBTIQA+ Students is a Ministry of Education guide about supporting inclusion and wellbeing for rainbow students

• Affirming diversity of sexualities and gender identities in the school community - guidelines for principals, boards of trustees and teachers from the Rainbow Taskforce for Safe Schools of the PPTA

• Bullying Prevention and Response: A Guide for Schools is the Ministry of Education’s 2015 guidance for schools

• Pink Shirt Day is an annual day of awareness and action against bullying

• Workplace bullying prevention – a toolkit from the Mental Health Foundation  

For rainbow people and their whānau

If you’re looking for help for yourself or someone you’re working with, these are places where you can find direct support:

• YouthLaw provides free legal help for people under 25 across Aotearoa (phone 0800 884 529 or email info@youthlaw.co.nz), and has an online guide about how to handle bullying at school

• InsideOUT has a guide about what to do and how to get support if you or someone else is being bullied

• Netsafe’s Support for LGBTQIA+ People has advice for dealing with online bullying, harassment or abuse

• Employment New Zealand has a guide about bullying at work and how workers and employers can address it

• OutLine provides rainbow-affirming specialist counselling (you can self-refer online) as well as a free nationwide peer support service (free call 0800 OUTLINE (0800 688 5463), or access their chat service, any evening between 6pm and 9pm to talk to a trained volunteer)

Video resources