Last week's tragic death of 13-year-old Laura Rhodes has again thrust the issue of bullying into the limelight. Laura died after making a suicide pact with her friend Rebecca Ling, 14. Rebecca survived, Laura did not.
Soon after Laura's death hit the headlines, her parents spoke out about the bullying "nightmare" their daughter suffered before her suicide.
Widespread issue
And Laura was not alone. The National Centre for Social Research recently reported that 87 per cent of 12- to 15-year-olds told researchers bullying happened in their schools (YPN, 1-7 September, p4).
Indeed, the prevalence of bullying in schools is such that the term conjures up images of abuse and fights within the school gates. But often bullying happens outside school as much as it does inside.
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