Bullying and Exclusion
Autistic girls and gender diverse young people are at higher risk of experience bullying and exclusion than their peers19. A Yellow Ladybugs survey found that 71 percent of autistic girls reported experiencing some form of bullying, including verbal abuse, social exclusion, physical and sexual assaults, and property damage while at school20. Girls’ bullying techniques are often more covert, less physical, and harder to observe including intimidation, manipulation, gossip, rumours, ignoring and ostracising. The long-term emotional impact of bullying and exclusion is a major contributor to high rates of self-harm and suicidality for autistic young people21.
Views from Teacher, Practitioner and Autistic Adult
Teacher - Working in the school system, I see it daily. I see so many children’s spark inside them diminish. It makes me so sad. If I see a student being singled out, I always make sure I give them a little wink or love heart with my hands. These moments of micro-connection make all the difference. Then I get to work fixing it for them. I will always validate their experience. This I promise.
Practitioner - Please don’t assume it is the autistic student misunderstanding or misinterpreting the situation. This only teaches them not to trust their instincts. If they are brushed off or dismissed, they may lose confidence and not feel empowered to advocate for themselves in the future.
Autistic Adult - I was often overlooked or ignored in class, but it was even more obvious how different I was in the playground. Girls either were mean to me or completely ignored me. This is where I felt completely ostracised and needed more support in the unstructured times.
The widespread bullying and exclusion of autistic students is ultimately a systemic issue. Positive change comes from being proactive in promoting school-wide inclusive attitudes, and in celebrating differences and diversity. Educators can lead by example, emphasising their own differences.
When autistic people report that we are being bullied, I am tired of this being justified and seen as okay. We are made to feel that bullying is our own fault. Sometimes we are told ‘well, maybe if you acted more normal, you wouldn’t be bullied’. This gives autistic people the impression that it is okay for other people to violate our boundaries, abuse and bully us, simply because we are autistic.
- Lou Chandler, Autistic Advocate
Neuro-affirming Tips and Strategies
- Be aware of the different types of bullying. It is not always obvious. Covert bullying can include hidden or out-of-sight actions such making up stories to get someone in trouble, withholding information, intentionally leaving someone out, or spreading rumours. Autistic girls are especially vulnerable to being manipulated and may not always be aware that they are the target of bullying.
- Empower autistic students to seek support by ensuring there are safe people, communication options, and spaces they can access if they are being bullied, e.g., teachers, buddies or support staff they are comfortable to talk to, a communication box in the office or classroom, and spaces like the library where they can go to when required.
- When a bullying situation happens, support the autistic student in communicating in a way that works for them (it may not be verbal), and allow them time to process. Validate their distress and reassure them that it is not their fault. While they may need help interpreting what has happened and determining whether an act was an accident or intentional, it is critical not to gaslight their experience.
- Consider an exemption from restorative practices, as lived experience tells us that these practices may be traumatic for autistic students, who are often highly empathetic and driven be a strong sense of personal and social justice.
- Be proactive in reducing stigma about autism and neurodivergence by taking a whole-school approach (involving leadership, educators, students and parents) which embeds positive and inclusive attitudes about all forms of diversity, including neurodiversity.
1. .Libster N, Knox A, Engin S, Geschwind D, Parish-Morris J, Kasari C. (2022). Personal victimization experiences of autistic and non-autistic children. Mol Autism.13(1):51. doi: 10.1186/s13229-022-00531-4. PMID: 36566252; PMCID: PMC9790117. Sproston, K., Sedgewick, F., & Crane, L. (2017). Autistic Girls and School Exclusion: Perspectives of Students and Their Parents. Autism and Developmental Language Impairments, 2. DOI: https://doi. org/10.1177/2396941517706172 2. Yellow Ladybugs (2016). Submission: Report on The Protection of the Rights of The Child, United Nations Office of the High Commissioner Human Rights www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Documents/Issues/ Children/2030/YellowLadybugs.pdf 3. O’Halloran, L, Coey, P, Wilson, C. (2022). Suicidality in autistic youth: A systematic review and meta-analysis, Clinical Psychology Review, Volume 93, 102144, ISSN 0272-7358, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2022.102144.