Monday, August 15, 2011
INTERVIEWS INTERVIEWS
Things are really starting to happen quickly now. Have just done another radio interview which is terrific. Also had a brilliant weekend down south at Dwellinghup with the leader of 'Against The Grain', the awesome group of disabled men that I am now writing a book about, along with around twelve other men, all of whom are in a riding group. It really was a heck of a lot of fun and laughs. Am turning up the heat with both causes now as things are really starting to happen. All soooo good.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
SUPER GRANNY IS ON A MISSION - Press Release
With the bullying epidemic becoming a horrible and often deadly phenomenon, Perth author and anti-bullying advocate Lannah Sawers-Diggins is using her own experience as a victim to 'fight' back. Lannah is offering to speak with students and community groups across Australia, to educate and raise awareness about bullying.
Published last year, Lannah's book 'BULLSEYE' is a collection of 36 case histories of victims and perpetrators of bullying. 'Doing this book was extremely therapeutic for me and for the contributors to the book,' says Lannah. 'With this in mind, I decided to take it further and with my growing little army, we are trying to make a difference in the 'fight' against bullying.'
Schools are breeding grounds for bullying, resulting in a recent spate of youth suicide. One of the more grim case studies featured in 'BULLSEYE' describes how a victim tried to hang himself. He would have succeeded had the knot on his jacket not come undone. The victim's family further suffered, with this mother mis-carrying due to emotional stress. While his mother was involved with the school committee and was actually on the school grounds for most of the day that her child tried to take his life, she was mortified to be informed not by any of the staff, but by the daughter of a friend. This case, says Lannah, like many others, highlights the lack of action and naivety of the victims' school staff, who commonly think that just by simply having an anti-bullying policy, bullying is being addressed and will be eliminated.
While many schools have anti-bullying policies, Lannah has little faith in their effectiveness. 'I am increasingly hearing stories about bullies almost being rewarded and the victims are the ones being penalized,' explains Lannah. 'Bullies have virtually been given a slap on the wrist with so-called punishment being 'fun tasks' - a simple distraction from class or sometimes no punishment whatsoever, as opposed to serious discipline,' she says. In one case, Lannah tells of a victim who had problems when she began at a new school. She was kicked by a group of girls who said they would be her friends. When she met them, they kicked and punched her, tearing her dress. The incident was brought to the Principal's attention where he merely asked, 'What do you want me to do about it?'
Lannah is encouraging victims to come forward and speak of their suffering in complete confidence, to prevent what many see as their only way out - suicide. She is also reaching out to perpetrators themselves, so they can understand the consequences of their damaging behaviour. It is this awareness that Lannah hopes will make bullies think twice and curb incidents. She says that students are often too scared to come forward and subsequently schools cannot truly address the issue, as they only have a minority of complaints to go by. 'There is something very wrong with the system or the schools themselves.'
Lannah has also recently personally experienced cyber-bullying and can fully understand why this form could be as lethal as any other for vulnerable young people.
In her ongoing campaign to raise awareness and educate, Lannah is determined to make a difference. 'If we can stop one victim from committing or considering suicide or turn a bully's thoughts and actions around, or change the attitudes of the schools themselves and parents, then it will all be worth it,' explains Lannah.
LOOK OUT BULLIES - SUPER GRANNY IS ON A MISSION!
Published last year, Lannah's book 'BULLSEYE' is a collection of 36 case histories of victims and perpetrators of bullying. 'Doing this book was extremely therapeutic for me and for the contributors to the book,' says Lannah. 'With this in mind, I decided to take it further and with my growing little army, we are trying to make a difference in the 'fight' against bullying.'
Schools are breeding grounds for bullying, resulting in a recent spate of youth suicide. One of the more grim case studies featured in 'BULLSEYE' describes how a victim tried to hang himself. He would have succeeded had the knot on his jacket not come undone. The victim's family further suffered, with this mother mis-carrying due to emotional stress. While his mother was involved with the school committee and was actually on the school grounds for most of the day that her child tried to take his life, she was mortified to be informed not by any of the staff, but by the daughter of a friend. This case, says Lannah, like many others, highlights the lack of action and naivety of the victims' school staff, who commonly think that just by simply having an anti-bullying policy, bullying is being addressed and will be eliminated.
While many schools have anti-bullying policies, Lannah has little faith in their effectiveness. 'I am increasingly hearing stories about bullies almost being rewarded and the victims are the ones being penalized,' explains Lannah. 'Bullies have virtually been given a slap on the wrist with so-called punishment being 'fun tasks' - a simple distraction from class or sometimes no punishment whatsoever, as opposed to serious discipline,' she says. In one case, Lannah tells of a victim who had problems when she began at a new school. She was kicked by a group of girls who said they would be her friends. When she met them, they kicked and punched her, tearing her dress. The incident was brought to the Principal's attention where he merely asked, 'What do you want me to do about it?'
Lannah is encouraging victims to come forward and speak of their suffering in complete confidence, to prevent what many see as their only way out - suicide. She is also reaching out to perpetrators themselves, so they can understand the consequences of their damaging behaviour. It is this awareness that Lannah hopes will make bullies think twice and curb incidents. She says that students are often too scared to come forward and subsequently schools cannot truly address the issue, as they only have a minority of complaints to go by. 'There is something very wrong with the system or the schools themselves.'
Lannah has also recently personally experienced cyber-bullying and can fully understand why this form could be as lethal as any other for vulnerable young people.
In her ongoing campaign to raise awareness and educate, Lannah is determined to make a difference. 'If we can stop one victim from committing or considering suicide or turn a bully's thoughts and actions around, or change the attitudes of the schools themselves and parents, then it will all be worth it,' explains Lannah.
LOOK OUT BULLIES - SUPER GRANNY IS ON A MISSION!
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
PS TO LAST ENTRY
Due to my tell-all interview in 'Take 5', I am receiving enquiries from people trying to purchase copies of 'Bullseye'. It is available (in paperback and eform I believe) from the Amazon site (put my name - Lannah Sawers-Diggins in the appropriate box) and for Perth locals, it is also available in paperback from the Newspower Broadway News, Shop 29 Broadway Fair Shopping Centre, 88 Broadway, Nedlands. 6009.
SORRY FOR THE SILENCE
Hello....I'm baaaack. Apologies for the silence. I have been and continue to be very busy working on my anti-bullying fight. I have gained considerable support and the interview with 'Take 5' magazine was published last week. Gaining a lot of response from that which is very sad, but also excellent. I am now looking at issuing a Press Release within the next few days (once my current contract as expired) for my own fight and recently I have been fortunate enough to meet an extremely inspirational group of paraplegic men, the 'Quad Squad'. And what inspirational and wonderful men they are...I consider myself extremely priviledged to know them and the really wonderful aspect is that I have been 'taken onboard', even though I am able bodied. I am about to start writing a book about them, about their group, their achievements thus far, their goals, aims and inspirations for the future. All very very exciting. This is now being done alongside my continued fight against bullying.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
THINGS ARE MOVING
The last couple of weeks have been very intense and even more exciting than usual. YES! I am starting to gain a lot of very positive response from the schools in WA - I am about half way through the list and will continue after repeating this with the SA schools. I am going over to SA at the end of May and hope to visit a few if possible. One of the recipients of one of my school letters in WA is a freelance journalist and I have been busy putting together an interview, 'breaking my silence' about my own experience, also those of both my daughters, both their partners, my niece, my husband, my niece and countless others that I am constantly hearing about. I am now starting to gain a lot more interest and support locally, nationally and overseas. All so very sad yet so very good.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
THE FIGHT CONTINUES
The fight continues and things are looking pretty good. It looks like I have another interview to do which is brilliant.....all helps. Other things happening too....schools are going well....everything's going well.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
It's All Good
Bullying is not decreasing with more cases being brought to my attention every day. It's horrible. And I know it is not going to stop (not in my lifetime anyway) but my fight to help victims and increase awareness throughout the schools and the general public is gradually working.
I am about half way through the list of WA schools, sending letters to all of them and I am now starting to get a very good, positive response. This is fantastic, to see that some of these parents do actually care and do want to do something about this horrible act.
Once I have covered the WA schools I will move onto the SA ones and then the rest of the nation. A mammoth job, one that I am thriving on as the responses/reactions start reaching me and SUCH a worthy cause.
Stay tuned.
I am about half way through the list of WA schools, sending letters to all of them and I am now starting to get a very good, positive response. This is fantastic, to see that some of these parents do actually care and do want to do something about this horrible act.
Once I have covered the WA schools I will move onto the SA ones and then the rest of the nation. A mammoth job, one that I am thriving on as the responses/reactions start reaching me and SUCH a worthy cause.
Stay tuned.
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