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Are you comfortable advocating for yourself?

07th - 11th November 2025

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56376

Total votes

11973

5-11 votes

44403

11-16+ votes

Between 10th-14th November, over 7.5 million people around the UK marked Anti-Bullying Week and discussed its theme for 2025, “Power for Good”. It aimed to spark discussions about how to counter the harm and hurt that bullying causes. Often, these conversations focus on how we can stand up for others when we see them being bullied, which is an important conversation to have. However, what happens when we need to stand up for ourselves? This VoteTopic asked young people to consider how comfortable they would feel advocating for themselves in difficult situations.

VotesforSchools also held their annual Anti-Bullying Week Student Webinars, which gave young people the opportunity to delve more deeply into the subject of bullying and how to tackle it.

Secondary & College voters discussed: "Are you comfortable advocating for yourself?", while Primary 5-11 voters were asked: “Is it easy to stand up for yourself?”

56,376 young people in the UK have taken part in this vote.

Age 5-11 voter

I think for me personally I am very good at standing up for myself and whoever is right even if my friends are wrong. I’m also good at telling who is wrong and I’m not scared of telling my friends they‘re wrong.

Age 11-16 voter

Yes, because the more you do it, the more it gets easier. It can be hard doing it but I am pretty confident.

Age 11-16 voter

I voted no for myself, however I will always advocate for friends and family if needed.

Feedback from our impact partners

Thank you to Anti-Bullying Alliance, The Children's Society and The Diana Award for responding to voters on this topic!

"Finding your voice and standing up for yourself, can be really tough. As someone who experienced bullying at a young age, it took me until I got to secondary school to find my voice and speak out against the bullying I experienced. The results reflect this journey, how with age it becomes easier.
The findings are valid: age can play a role, but the most important message is this - never suffer in silence.
At The Diana Award, we encourage students to identify their support network -someone they trust and can turn to for guidance. Talking through your worries or concerns with a trusted person can make all the difference.
Be proud of who you are. Don’t let someone else’s behaviour define you. The things that make you different are often your greatest strengths.
We will use these insights to strengthen our efforts in encouraging people to speak out, because we believe that reporting is supporting."

Alex Holmes OBE
Deputy CEO, The Diana Award

65% of Primary pupils said it's easy to stand up for yourself.

  • Primary pupils were discussing the question, "Is it easy to stand up for yourself?"
  • The majority, at 65% voted 'Yes'.
Meanwhile, 75% of Secondary students said they felt comfortable advocating for themselves.

  • Secondary, College and 16+ students were voting on the question, "Are you comfortable advocating for yourself?"
  • 75% of Secondary students and 82% of 16+ & College students voted 'Yes'.
Many said context matters, as they feel comfortable standing up for themselves in some situations but not others.

  • Some said they feared the consequences of standing up for themselves, such as making the bullying worse or getting told off by a teacher.
  • Others said the more they advocate for themselves, the more comfortable they become.
results