A student welfare support worker in a regional area of Australia told BuzzFeed News she had struggled to explain the anti-bullying program to parents after an effective campaign led by conservative media, politicians and lobby groups left the name of the program in the mud.



"They’re just scared of what they don’t understand," she said. "As soon as I said 'Safe Schools', you could see it in their faces. ‘We don’t want our kids indoctrinated'."

Trying to deal with a lack of understanding and support, several LGBTI students have dropped out of the high school she works in.

"We’ve lost three, one trans student and two same-sex attracted students in the last 18 months because of bullying and misunderstanding in the school," the welfare worker said.

One student who left the school was so distressed by the negative media that his mother was also referred to a psychologist as she struggled to support him.

"He believes the things he hears – he says 'I’m a freak, nobody wants me'," the student welfare worker said.

"He’s attempted suicide several times in the past few years."