Anti-bullying legislation

Anti-bullying legislation is a legislation enacted to help reduce and eliminate bullying. This legislation may be national or sub-national and is commonly aimed at ending bullying in schools or workplaces.

According to one study, state-level anti-bullying legislation in the United States was associated with reductions in bullying, depression and suicidal ideation. The large impacts were observed for female teenagers and LGBT teenagers. For female teenagers, the suicide rate declined by 13-16%.^[1]

Asia[edit]

Philippines[edit]

The Republic Act 10627 or the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013 was signed into law by former President Benigno Aquino III on September 6, 2013. The law requires all elementary and secondary schools in the country to adopt an anti-bullying policy. According to a study conducted in 2008 by the Britain-based Plan International, 50 percent of school children in the Philippines experienced bullying either by their teachers or their peers.^[2]^[3]

North America[edit]

Canada[edit]

This law occurred in 2012. The provincial government of Quebec initiated legislation providing for anti-bullying laws, with the Quebec law having come into effect in 2012.^[4] Federal politicians also debated the groundwork for a national anti-bullying strategy the same year.^[5]

South America[edit]

Chile[edit]

On September 7, 2011, Chile's Congress approved "The Law about School Violence" that amended the General Law on Education to establish clear definitions, procedures, and penalties for school violence and bullying.^[24]

The Law defines bullying as any repeated aggression or harassment that occurs in or outside the educational institution, by one student or a group towards another, causing mistreatment, humiliation, or fear. Bullying may be perpetrated in person or through any means, including cyber-bullying. Educational institutions are required to create a Committee of Good School Coexistence (Comité de Buena Convivencia Escolar) that will be in charge of managing and taking all the measures needed to secure a non-violent school life.^[25]

Europe[edit]

Austria[edit]

In Austria, laws impose a legal duty of care on teachers to ensure the safety and well-being of their students. Thus, teachers have both a professional and moral obligation to intervene in bullying episodes.^[26]

United Kingdom[edit]

Section 89 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 includes a requirement for headteachers at state schools to determine behavior policy with a view to "".

Oceania[edit]

Australia[edit]

In 2011, Victoria passed a law called Brodie's Law that makes serious bullying an offence.