NO TOLERANCE FOR BULLIES

 
 
Katie Govic is from Bully Zero Australia Foundation (BZAF), a not-for-profit organisation set up in 2013 to establish a zero-tolerance culture of bullying. They work to empower, educate and prevent all forms of bullying on a national scale.
 
A month doesn’t pass where we don’t see the loss of life to bullying in Australia. There are many stories of teenagers and adults who tragically end their lives after enduring unbearable, persistent and callous bullying either through their school, workplace, sporting club, community group or through social media. 
 
In April 2012 a group of passionate individuals consisting of families of bullying victims, senior members of the police force, volunteers, psychologists, lawyers, teachers, politicians and professionals from various backgrounds and led by former mayor of the City of Moreland, Oscar Yildiz, established a Foundation like no other.

They launched a series of animated storyboards to help families who have lost their children to bullying/cyber bullying to overcome their grief. This initiative won the Australian local government award in 2012.

Bullying is when an individual or group uses its power and strength to repeatedly, deliberately and intentionally use words or actions against another or a group that hurts, threatens, excludes, harasses, humiliates verbally, physically, psychologically or electronically making the victim feel oppressed, traumatized and powerless.
 
There are several different types of bullying:
  • Verbal
  • Physical
  • Emotional/psychological
  • Racial
  • Cyber
  • Homophobic
Bullying is a crime in Victoria. Victorian Police have the power to prosecute individuals.
 
BZAF provides evidence based bullying prevention programs to primary/secondary students, teachers and parents nationally. They also provide bullying prevention programs to sporting clubs, community groups and organisations. It is because of these awareness programs that they estimate they have saved the lives of 75 people since 2013.