It is the policy of the Club to protect children and young people under the age of 18 playing youth rugby from possible bullying. The Club takes the problem of bullying seriously.

Bullying is not always easy to define, can take many forms and is usually repeated over a period of time. Bullying is not limited to an adult bullying a young person; it is often the case that the bully is a young person.

There are three main types of bullying:

• Physical (eg hitting, kicking, theft)
• Verbal (eg racist or homophobic remarks, threats, name calling)
• Emotional (eg persistent negative feedback, isolating an individual from activities).

All of these will include:

• Deliberate hostility and aggression towards a victim
• A victim who is weaker and less powerful than the bully or bullies
• An outcome which is always painful and distressing to the victim.

Bullying behavior may also include:

• Other forms of violence
• Sarcasm, spreading rumors, persistent teasing or theft
• Tormenting, ridiculing, humiliation
• Racial taunts, graffiti, gestures
• Unwanted physical contact or abusive or offensive comments of a sexual nature.

The competitive nature of rugby union makes it a potential environment for the bully. This may manifest it self in some of the following ways:

• A parent who pushes too hard
• A coach who adopts a “win at all costs” philosophy
• A player who intimidates others
• An official who is over officious.

In the first instance, incidents of bullying should be reported to the Club via its Child Protection/Welfare Officer. Club members must be alert to the signs of bullying and refer cases promptly. Failure to respond to incidents may be interpreted as condoning the behaviour – the Club wishes to avoid giving this impression to bullies and victims alike.

In the event of an incident of bullying being reported to the Club, the Club will

• Investigate the incident
• Talk separately to the those accused of bullying and their alleged victims

On completion of the investigation the Club will decide on appropriate action, such as (but not limited to):

• Obtaining an apology from the bully(ies) to the victim(s)
• Informing the parents of the bully(ies)
• Insisting on the return of items “borrowed” or stolen
• Insisting the bully(ies) compensate the victim(s)
• Holding Club or age group discussions about bullying
• Provide support for the lead coach of the victim(s)