New report on school bullying
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By m.p. - Feb 5, 2007 - 10:08 PM
It points to an improvement, but shows that abusive behaviour still exists in Spanish schools

One in every three schoolchildren is subject to insults and disparaging name-calling, according to a new report from the Spanish Ombudsman and UNICEF.

The report on violence in schools was presented at a press conference in Madrid on Monday, and polled 3,000 secondary education pupils in 300 schools across Spain.

The Ombudsman, Enrique Múgica, said that while abusive behaviour between equals has improved in general terms compared with the report carried out in 2000, it still exists in the country’s schools ‘in all its forms.’

He said the figures should not lead us to a false optimism, and that preventive measures brought in have only served to stop its advance. It has not been eradicated, he said.

Consuelo Crespo, President of UNICEF in Spain, said 27% of pupils say they are verbally abused, down from 39% in 2000. 0.7% admitted to being victims of sexual abuse, also down from 2000 figures when 2% said they were. 9.8% said they are ignored by their schoolmates.

The report recommends setting up evaluation and orientation committees in schools, as well as courses for the pupils themselves to act as mediators in conflicts. Training courses are also proposed for teachers, plus budget adjustments by both schools and the state to fund such measures.

It called on the media to refrain from alarmist reporting and said families should also become involved in problems of abusive behaviour in schools.

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