BY JACK WELCH

COMING to terms with being affected by bullying, in any of its guises, can be a hard struggle for people of all ages.

In childhood, it can damage the physical and emotional wellbeing of an individual, which then subsequently feeds into their adult life and relationships.

Finding an effective counter strategy for bullying is something that has seemingly eluded both schools and organisations that focus specifically on putting an end to the bullying of young people.

New research conducted by the anti-bullying charity Ditch the Label has explored a new aspect of what causes people to become bullies as part of their annual survey, which has recorded over 8,850 participants across the UK.

Understanding the perpetrator who inflicts their anger upon others might be hard to stomach for people whose last feeling is sympathy for the wrongdoer but, with other strategies not yet seeing impactful change, the circumstances of why bullying occurs deserve close attention and, most importantly, an open mind.

In the report, there was a stark contrast between the average participant and those who bullied people on a daily basis.

Thirteen per cent of those surveyed from the latter group said that they never talk to their parents, compared to just one per cent on average.

A significant proportion will also have poorer perceptions of the relationships between family and friends.

While it might not be an enormous surprise to see this background research into the lives of those who are offending, it can be all too easily forgotten as problems begin to escalate later on in life.

With 50 per cent of those surveyed saying they had been bullied, efforts now need to address the root causes of why this learned behaviour is so common.

In a review analysing the links between bullying and mental health by the Anti-Bullying Alliance, schools are asked to make clear the direct impact bullying has on emotional wellbeing.

The path to change is never smooth in itself and, while bullying is as prevalent as ever, there is no need to accept it.

You can read the findings of the Annual Bullying Survey at ditchthelabel.org/annual-bullying-survey-2016.