Andreas Drufva, marketing manager at Swedish NGO Friends, fights against bullying. Photo: Friends

The report about Swedish schooling also reveals that one out of ten students is beaten and every fourth student is subjected to sexual harassment. Andreas Drufva, marketing manager at Friends, has a lot to fight against.

“Children have the right to feel good at school and at their after-school activities. They also have the right to be seen and heard — and be themselves. These are the foundations for developing as a person.”

An anti-bullying law, enacted in 2006, has given Swedish schools clearer guidelines for taking action, reporting and responding to the problem which, up until recently, was only addressed in the working world. As Drufva points out, “School is a kid’s workplace.”

Training teachers

There is, unfortunately, no quick fix to the problem, but Friends is working long-term to improve the social environment within groups and schools, aiming to ensure that children aren’t excluded. So far, it has trained 300,000 adults, mainly teachers, on how to handle bullying.

Friends has also trained around 30,000 students, encouraging them to take a stand against bullying and discrimination. “Adults are ultimately responsible, but it is important to involve students in the process as well and have open discussions with them,” Drufva says. “Kids often see and hear things that adults don’t notice, such as group pressure or a bad atmosphere.”

Encouraging parents

Intervention remains just as important, as bullying moves into new channels like the internet and cell phones. Friends encourages parents to pop in on the digital world as they might do at a school and to engage in discussion with their children. “In addition to asking your child how school was, you can ask: ‘How were things on the net today?’” Drufva says.

Currently operating only in Sweden, other countries have shown an interest in Friends’ efforts, and the organization has started working with Save the Children to improve the situation in the Baltic countries.

"Bullying can be eliminated"

Unfortunately, bullying is an issue that affects people worldwide. “I don’t think the situation is worse in Sweden than elsewhere, but we have brought attention to it here,” Drufva says. “All of us at Friends are convinced that bullying can be eliminated with knowledge, discussion and enough resources.”

Cari Simmons

Cari Simmons is a freelance writer from Canada who has spent many years in Sweden. Perhaps it’s the Swedish–Canadian combination, or being a Libra, that’s responsible for her tendency towards balancing the scales of justice.

The author alone is responsible for the opinions expressed in this article.