 Bullying is a common concern among children |
ChildLine Scotland has reported a sharp rise in the number of calls from youngsters about being bullied. In the year to March, the charity received nearly 9,000 calls which were about bullying, a rise of 39% on the previous 12 months.
It said that the increase was probably down to a greater awareness of the problem.
Bullying was the single biggest reason for children contacting ChildLine, accounting for one in every four calls.
The complaints ranged from name-calling to being intimidated and assaulted.
A third of children said they had been punched or kicked or pushed around.
In the UK, the number of calls reporting bullying rose by 42% last year to 31,000.
In Scotland, the figure was up to 8,900. ChildLine Scotland said the rise in the number of calls may be the result of the charity's own publicity campaign and the Scottish Executive's insistence that every school has an anti-bullying policy.
The charity has also launched an appeal for money to expand its work.
Anne Houston, director of ChildLine Scotland, said: "In some ways we hope there are good messages in these statistics in that we have been able to extend the services at ChildLine to young people and also that young people are aware that they don't need to put up with bullying.
"There were 8,900 children last year who were experiencing bullying and who were sufficiently upset enough to pick up the phone to ChildLine and that's of major concern.
Bullying workshops
"I am hopeful the message has got through. As well as the ads used there are bullying workshops in schools.
 The charity is looking to expand its services |
"That is helping young people to support each other so they are more resilient and more able to deal with it themselves. "We do have a specific bullying helpline in Scotland which is funded by local authorities and the executive and there has been a huge publicity campaign."
She said that bullying had an impact on education and had the potential to impact into adulthood.
Ms Houston said that from the thousands who called the helpline each year, it was apparent what the pain of bullying, both emotionally and physically, could do.
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I am hopeful the message has got through, as well as the ads used there are bullying workshops in schools 
