Commission asks if Cayman needs bullying law
(CNS): The Cayman Islands Law Reform Commission (LRC) is asking the public to weigh in on a discussion paper about the need for new laws or policies to deal with the growing problem of bullying and cyber bullying. The paper raises a number of talking points about this global issue, which has a particularly negative impact on the school environment. Several issues are identified and questions raised in the paper and the LRC is asking the community to comment on whether a comprehensive strategy to address bullying should be based in the law, in policy or both.
The commissioners said that bullying happens online at work and in other arenas but it is bullying in schools that the commissioners are particularly concerned about.
Bullying can be direct, indirect or sexual and its prevalence, impact and demographic differences all need to be considered. While the education ministry has a policy to deal with school discipline that includes bullying, the commission said other organisations are also beginning to place the issue of bullying on their agendas.
The LRC said its review of this issue was a continuation of its agenda relating to abuse and violence within interpersonal relationships. “We believe that a comprehensive response to bullying requires us to answer the questions of whether bullying should be dealt with firmly through legislation, governmental policy or both.”
The paper questions whether the legal consequences of bullying behaviour are fully understood or appreciated. “Bullying, it is submitted, prompts several legal concerns and is interlinked with a number of areas of law, such as criminal law, civil law, constitutional law, human rights law, administrative law and education law,” the paper states.
Referring to bullying as an incident in which one individual or a group targets another individual repeatedly over time, using physical, verbal, or psychological aggression to dominate the victim, the commissioners ask if such an act should be criminalised and attract criminal sanctions under that definition or should the degree of criminality be based on whether the bullying behaviour crosses the line into the criminal sphere or breaks existing laws, such as assault, criminal harassment or possession of child pornography in cases where teenage bullies are posting intimate pictures of victims.
The LRC is asking the public to read the paper and consider the numerous questions posed in it and offer comments on the way forward.
We certainly need an anti-bullying law. We need it to protect us from having issues such as homosexual marriage forced on us by the UN and perhaps even the UK as our mother country.
All forms of bullying requires to be addressed inclusive of corporate bullying at all levels and across all socio-economic dynamics where bullying can and does thrive and survive.
Being bullied for not supporting an anti-bullying law by those that support said bullying law.
Only on CNS. Lol!!
You people are absolutely awesome and have outdone yourselves this time.
– Whodatis
The biggest exhibitor of bullying and aggressive behavior on this cite is you, troll-child.
Ok buddy.
– Who
Glad we are in agreement.
One symptom of narcissists is that they give it out but they can’t take it.
The fact that bullying can ultimately make a child commit suicide should be enough reason to look at the issue and find the best way to ensure that we all take it seriously and hold people accountable. If your child took his life because of bullying how would you feel? Wouldn’t you want to know that everything possible was done to detect and prevent the bullying? Many kids suffer in silence. If it is not a problem here then what else can be done to make sure it doesn’t become a problem. Don’t dismiss the approach but recognize the desire to deal with one of many issues that impacts our precious children who depend on us to protect, care for and guide them.
Sounds like scaremongering. How about raising children to have some self confidence and independence so they can live without government counsellors’ hand holding and so-called safe spaces.
Ossie would be in trouble if this became law.
Yet another report which is inanely skewed towards Canadian legal perspectives over the more compatible UK experience. First case cited? A Canadian Supreme Court case. First jurisdiction reviewed in the comparative section? Canada. Then the US, then Australia and then one pathetic paragraph on the UK when a full detailed analysis of the UK legal experience ought to be the first port of call for any properly prepared paper. It is increasingly looking like the presently constituted LRC is not fit for purpose.
Yeh 8.12! What did the Canadians ever do for us??? If that’s your only problem, think yourself lucky.
Nothing against Canadians, but it would be like going through the passing stats of the CFL when trying to improve an NFL team’s passing game. It is not the right place to start. Or end really.
All the laws in the world will not protect a citizen unless the law is enforced and that will never happen. What happens when say a Chief Officer, a manager or indeed an MLA is bullying? Absolutely zilch and no law will change that fact.
So Mac and Alden won’t be calling one another vicious names anymore?
The LRC keeps wasting resources by producing reports that are go nowhere
Many of the recent reports have been of a very low quality and read like a weak term paper.
Zuss kryste, this crap again?!
Who hasn’t been bullied? I was from my 1st to last day of high school – and not by idle characters, but by now hardened life-serving criminals, some of whom are now dead due to their lifestyle.
However, I survived and grew stronger as a result. It’s called life. In fact, bullying is simply human nature.
Tell me, what will a bullying law do exactly? Every bully is aware that they are hurting the victim therefore there is already a law that relates to any given form of bullying.
Honestly, the further society strays from a heterosexual, patriarchal form of leadership the more absurd the proposals. (Yeah, I said it – have a field day.)
– Who
Well this response a) explains your psychological problems in part and b) supports a bullying law so others in the future do not have to suffer in their adult life like you.
PS The “Zuss kryste” thing was stupid first time you typed it. It was hard for you to become an even more annoying troll, but with this new affectation you sure managed it.
You are a bully. You have just committed cyber-bullying.
(Oh the irony! I love it, lol!)
Thanks for proving my point … and yours at the same time.
Deuces,
– Who
P.S. The same goes for all your online supporters out there.
😉
Miss, Miss, it was that troll over there, the one in the huge glasshouse. He threw the stones, Miss.
Now we do know you are an over-sensitive hypocritical tool. But go on, we’ll humour you, why was the response in any way bullying? It is no different than how you respond to posters on this site. No, it is far less rude and patronising than how you conduct yourself.
Yummee… Heterosexual, patriarchal! Cause that’s worked out great for the world. Let’s celebrate that by making fornication and infidelity illegal. We could also add marriage after being divorced illegal too. As Christians we need to stand up like Eden and Suckoo for biblical principles. Say no to Second Opposite Sex Marriage.
That’s my “field day” and I’m sticking to it.
Explains a lot Who, but don’t use it as an excuse to be a nutter all your life. The only person who can help you, is you, and you have to want and understand that. Blaming everyone else for what is wrong in your life is not the answer.
…and another one.
– Who
I told you to pass the law. Are you stupid or what? Get it done or don’t walk down any dark streets late at night…
If you include teachers, police officers and persons in supervisory positions, ie adults too!
All we need is to bring back the tamarind switch to our schools and the gallows to Northward.
Idiot.
Sadly today it seems that the best version of the good ole tamarind switch (with the exception of a proper tamarind switch of course) is pulling the plug on the internet, and the removal of all electronics.
but even that is tame with what we had back then (which pretty much worked)
Because teaching children that someone bigger than you, armed with a stick, can beat you to get you to do what they want is a great way to send the message that bullying is wrong.
Punishment and bullying are not the same thing. Children can tell the difference and draw different conclusions about one from the other.
Didn’t do you any harm and you are extremely well adjusted aren’t you?
True story.