President Emeritus Marie Louise Coleiro PrecaIl-Bully... jien jew int? (The Bully… me or you?) was the title of an annual conference organised by the Mental Health Association Gozo in collaboration with the Gozo General Hospital – Steward HealthCare and Queen Mary University.
As in previous years, the conference, held at Queen Mary University of London, Malta Campus, was attended by health care professionals, educators and members of the public.
President Emeritus Marie Louise Coleiro Preca addressed the conference where she brought up an alarming statistic by the Anti-Bullying Services of persons who are victims of bullying.
The theme of the conference tackled the bully and the victims of bullying in various settings such as schools, the workplace, cyberbullying and the LGBTI+ community.
The first two presentations by Anton Grech and Andrea Saliba tackled the effect of bullying and the victims of bullying on their mental wellbeing. Real life experiences were also highlighted by two victims of bullying.
Chief Mental Health Commissioner Denis Vella Baldacchino spoke on the negative effects bullying had on the individual, their families and the importance to seek help.
“Professional services related to anti-bullying services are present and shall be sought by those who are suffering in silence,” Vella Baldacchino said.