La Trobe University’s Department of Languages and Cultures, School of Education and School of Psychology and Public Health, and the Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre: Anti-Bullying Rapid Review Submission

This submission to the Department of Education’s Rapid Anti-Bullying Review focuses on the unique needs of Autistic Australians, who currently face distinct and severe challenges related to bullying. A collaboration between experts in linguistics, education, and psychology at La Trobe University and researchers at the Olga Tennison Autism Research Center (OTARC) informed this submission.

Autistic students in Australia are much more likely to be bullied than their non-Autistic peers: the prevalence of bullying they experience is amongst the worst in the world. Autistic students in Australia also experience worse bullying than their non-Autistic peers: they are bullied more often, for longer, and more severely. Our submission demonstrates that this bullying has significant negative impacts on Autistic people, including poor mental health, reduced emotional wellbeing, increased rates of school refusal, and an elevated risk of suicide.

Current anti-bullying approaches do not help Autistic people. Instead, they leave Autistic Australians exposed to harm and, in some cases, may even cause additional harm.

Drawing on cutting-edge autism research and insights from the Autistic community, we make 14 evidence-based recommendations in order to promote National Anti-Bullying Standards that will help meet the dire needs of Australian Autistic students.