School Bullying Statistics

School bullying statistics in the United Stats show that about one in four kids in the U.S. are bullied on a regular basis. Between cyber bullying and bullying at school, the school bullying statistics illustrate a huge problem with bullying and the American school system.

In a recent SAFE survey, teens in grades sixth through 10th grade are the most likely to be involved in activities related to bullying. About thirty percent of students in the United States are involved in bullying on a regular basis either as a victim, bully or both. These school bullying statistics show what a problem bullying of all kinds in the United States has become. The recent school bullying statistics show that cyber bullying is becoming increasingly prevalent on school property as well as involving students even when they are not at school. Because of this growing number of kids affected by bullying, more and more schools throughout the country are cracking down on the measures taken to stop bullying.

School Bullying Statistics:

When it comes to verbal bullying, this type of bullying is the most common type with about 77 percent of all students being bullied verbally in some way or another including mental bullying or even verbal abuse. These types of bullying can also include spreading rumors, yelling obscenities or other derogatory terms based on an individual’s race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, etc. Out of the 77 percent of those bullied, 14 percent have a severe or bad reaction to the abuse, according to recent school bullying statistics. These numbers make up the students that experience poor self-esteem, depression, anxiety about going to school and even suicidal thoughts (bullycide) as a result of being bullied by their peers. Also as part of this study, about one in five students admitted they are responsible for bullying their peers. Almost half of all students fear harassment or bullying in the bathroom at school, according to these school bullying statistics. As a result of this fear and anxiety of being bullied, many students will make excuses or find ways around going to school. School bullying statistics also reveal that teens ages 12-17 believe they have seen violence increase at their schools. In fact, these numbers also show that most violent altercations between students are more likely to occur on school grounds than on the way to school for many teens.

One of the most unfortunate parts of these school bullying statistics is that in about 85 percent of bullying cases, no intervention or effort is made by a teacher or administration member of the school to stop the bullying from taking place. However, now that more and more schools are taking an active approach to cut down on the number of students that live in fear of being bullied, the numbers will go down.

Cyberbullying Statistics:

As social networking and online social interaction becomes more and more popular with sites like Facebook and Twitter, cyberbullying has become one of the most prevalent types of bullying that occurs between teens. About 80 percent of all high school students have encountered being bullied in some fashion online. These growing numbers are being attributed to youth violence including both homicide and suicide. While school shootings across the country are becoming more and more common, most teens that say they have considered becoming violent toward their peers, wish to do so because they want to get back at those who have bullied them online. About 35 percent of teens have been actually threatened online. About half of all teens admit they have said something mean or hurtful to another teen online. Most have done it more than once.

Putting an End to Bullying:

These numbers are too high, and parents and teachers need to do something to stop it. Teens also need to stand together and put an end to bullying. When teens see their peers being bullied, they need to report the incident or get help. If teens band together to address these issues, they really don’t have to worry about being the target of a bully since most bullies really only attack those that are weaker than them. By standing together to prevent bullying in every school, the number of depressed and suicidal teens can drop along with those who fear for their life while attending school.

Sources: naaas.org

Gay Bullying Statistics

There are many reasons bullies target certain people, which is why we are taking a look at gay bullying statistics, because so many homosexual individuals are the target of bullying. Gay bullying statistics are often a huge contributing factor to the number of bullying incidents daily.

According to the gay bullying statistics from the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, about one fourth of all students from elementary age through high school are the victims of bullying and harassment while on school property because of their race, ethnicity, gender, disability, religion or sexual orientation. Unfortunately the primary reason for bullying is due to something that may set themselves apart from the norm, and that includes sexual orientation.

Gay Bullying Statistics:

According to recent gay bullying statistics, gay and lesbian teens are two to three times as more likely to commit teen suicide than other youths. About 30 percent of all completed suicides have been related to sexual identity crisis. Students who also fall into the gay, bisexual, lesbian or transgendered identity groups report being five times as more likely to miss school because they feel unsafe after being bullied due to their sexual orientation. About 28 percent out of those groups feel forced to drop out of school altogether. Although more and more schools are working to crack down on problems with bullying, teens are still continuing to bully each other due to sexual orientation and other factors.

In a 2005 survey about gay bullying statistics, teens reported that the number two reason they are bullied is because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender expression. The number one reason reported was because of appearance. Teens are at a pivotal point in their young adult lives when they are trying to find out who they are and who they are about to become as adults. This is why being teased, bullied and harassed is something that could negatively affect a person’s self-esteem and view of themselves for the rest of their life.

In fact, about 9 out of 10 LGBT teens have reported being bullied at school within the past year because of their sexual orientation, according to the most recent gay bullying statistics. Out of those numbers, almost half have reported being physically harassed followed by another quarter who reported actually being physically assaulted.  Unfortunately most teens who experience bullying of any kind are reluctant to share their experience or report the incident to a teacher or trusted adult. Even more unfortunate are the gay statistics that report a lack of response among those teachers and school administration. According to a recent statistic, out of the students that did report a harassment or bullying situation because of their sexuality, about one third of the school staff didn’t do anything to resolve the issue.

Types of Bullying and Bully Prevention:

There are several ways that bullying can take place including verbal, physical, cyberbullying and indirect bullying. Physically being bullied usually entails some sort of physical assault or attack, or can also include having one’s personal property destroyed or stolen. Verbal bullying arises from name calling that may be done because of a person’s gender, sexual orientation, minority status, race, religious, etc. Indirect bullying is one of the most common types of bullying is the type of bullying that many people may do without even realizing it. Indirect bullying includes spreading stories and rumors about a person behind his or her back as well as exclusion from social groups. Cyber bullying can also fall into the category of indirect bullying, but includes bullying that is done over any type of electronic medium like text messaging, email, pictures sent via text or email, websites, blogs, message boards, chat-rooms and instant messaging.

When it comes to bully prevention, it is important to remember that these gay bullying statistics will never go down if action isn’t taken. This is why it is important for teens to report incidents they are victims of, or even if they witness a bullying event take place. Even if it seems that the adults will be unresponsive to take action, there are always other members of the school board or administration that can be addressed. It is important not to give up or the bullying cycle will continue.

Sources: makebeatsnotbeatdowns.org, zimbio.com

Bullying Statistics 2010

The bullying statistics 2010 reveal that bullying is a crime that is not going away anytime soon. There are about 160,000 children that miss school every day out of fear of being bullied. Bullying statistics 2010 also report an increase in cyberbullying activities.

New bullying statistics released in 2010 are showing that bullying is still a problem among children and teens, but is taking on a different approach with cyberbullying becoming more and more rampant in school and after school among teens and children. Social networking has provided an entirely new environment for bullying to take place. According to bullying statistics 2010, there are about 2.7 million students being bullied each year by about 2.1 students taking on the roll of the bully.

Bullying statistics 2010:

New bullying statistics for 2010 revealed about one in seven students in grades kindergarten through 12th grade is either a bully or has been a victim of bullying. Sometimes a teen or child who has been bullied eventually becomes the bully as a way to retaliate. In fact, revenge for bullying is one of the strongest motivations for school shootings, according to recent bullying statistics. A reported 61 percent of students said they believe students shoot others at school because they have been victims of physical violence at home or at school. This is a true indicator that bullying can occur in all forms by other students, children, teens as well as adults. According to various bullying studies, many teens and children act out violently on their peers through acts of bullying because they are abused at home.

Other bullying statistics:

  • Over half, about 56 percent, of all students have witnesses a bullying crime take place while at school.
  • A reported 15 percent of all students who don’t show up for school report it to being out of fear of being bullied while at school.
  • There are about 71 percent of students that report bullying as an on-going problem.
  • Along that same vein, about one out of every 10 students drops out or changes schools because of repeated bullying.
  • One out of every 20 students has seen a student with a gun at school.
  • Some of the top years for bullying include 4th through 8th graders in which 90 percent were reported as victims of some kind of bullying.
  • Other recent bullying statistics reveal that 54 percent of students reported that witnessing physical abuse at home can lead to violence in school.
  • Among students of all ages, homicide perpetrators were found to be twice as likely as homicide victims to have been bullied previously by their peers.
  • There are about 282,000 students that are reportedly attacked in high schools throughout the nation each month.

Bullycide statistics:

Suicide continues to be one of the leading causes of death among children under the age of 14. Bullycide is a term used to describe suicide as the result of bullying. New bullying statistics 2010 are reporting that there is a strong connection between bullying, being bullied and suicide, according to a new study from the Yale School of Medicine. Suicide rates are continuing to grow among adolescents, and have grown more than 50 percent in the past 30 years.

Bullying can include various types of behavior from physical attacks, to destroying one’s personal property or clothing, verbal abuse, starting rumors, name calling, verbal attacks online as well as other forms of cyberbullying. For teens and children who feel they are being bullied, it is important to address the matter with a parent or teacher right away. It may feel like you are telling on someone for doing something wrong, and that admission might get you in trouble with the bully later. However, this is not the case. In the majority of cases when a bully is reported, the bullying stops because the bully is faced with dire repercussions or they are sent away to a juvenile detention center. If you see bullying occur, it is just as important to tell a trusted adult about the situation. There are many ways to try and prevent bullying from getting worse and by reporting incidents, you can help cut down on future cases of bullying involving other victims. Maintaining a strong sense of self and good overall self-esteem is another way to ensure you won’t be a victim of bullying attacks since bullies generally only prey on those they feel are weaker than them. This is also why it is important to have a solid group of friends that will have your back if a bully does try to attack in some way. Parents, be sure to talk to your children and teens about bullying and how to prevent it from happening to them or their peers. Make sure they know the importance of reporting such incidents and ways to handle a bully.

Sources: makebeatsnotbeatdowns.org, olweus.org

Bullying Statistics

Bullying is becoming more and more frequent among today’s youth in locations like school and online, according to recent bullying statistics. There are different types of bullying of which bullying statistics reveal almost half of all students have experienced.

Unfortunately, recent bullying statistics show that bullying is on the rise among young adults, teens and children. The rise in these bullying statistics is likely due to a fairly recent form of bullying seen in recent years called cyber bullying. This type of bullying has gotten immense media attention over the past few years sighting instances of cyber bullying pushed too far, and in many cases leading to cases of teen suicide or death. Many bullying statistics and studies have found that physical assaults have been replaced with constant cyber assaults in the form of bashing, rumors and other hazing content targeted at a single student or group of students.

Bullying statistics:

  • About 42 percent of kids have been bullied while online with one in four being verbally attacked more than once.
  • About 35 percent of kids have been threatened online.
  • About 58 percent of kids and teens have reported that something mean has been said about them or to them online.
  • Other bullying statistics show that about 77 percent of students have admitted to being the victim of one type of bullying or another.
  • The American Justice Department bullying statistics show that one out of ever 4 kids will be bullied sometime throughout their adolescence.
  • 46 percent of males followed by 26 percent of females have admitted to being victims in physical fights as reported in one report of bullying statistics by the Bureau of Justice School.

Other bullying facts:

  • As these bullying statistics indicate, bullying is just getting worse in American schools. Many studies have shown that increasing domestic violence at home are leading to an increase in bullying online and at school.
  • Researchers note that one way to help begin to lower these bullying statistics is to tell an adult when it is happening.
  • According to the i-Safe American survey of students bullying statistics, about 58 percent of kids admit to never telling an adult when they’ve been the victim of a bullying attack.
  • Another way to stay safe from bullies is to inform the school if the attacks are taking place on school property or have something to do with the school.
  • Ignore messages sent by cyber bullies.

Based on the bullying statistics we found, it is clear that cyber bullying is on the rise more so than any other type of bullying. Many students report seeing these types of bullying in chat rooms, social networking websites like MySpace.com and Facebook.com. There has also been websites dedicated to targeting a student or group of students. Many bullying studies revealed that students who are part of a minority group of students based on their gender, race, socioeconomic status as well as sexual preference are reasons other students use to harass and cyber bully one another. Many of these students are forced to deal with at-school bullying and have it follow them home as they see hurtful comments and rumors being said about them throughout the Internet. While this isn’t always a school-related issue, many schools are cutting down on this type of behavior from occurring at school by limiting computer time and prohibiting many of the social websites used to spread the hurtful information.

Because of the wide-spread amount of bullying it is more important than ever for parents and teachers to check in with children about bullying. Many students might be afraid to tell an adult or parent, which is why parents and teachers need to be aware of the signs of bullying and to pay attention to what is going on with their child or student. Another one of the best ways to handle bullying to help lower these numbers reported in bullying statistics is open communication. Students and children should be encouraged to tell a trusted adult, parent or teacher about any kind of bullying attack. It is the best way to help stop the situation from getting worse and to help prevent bullying from targeting more and more victims.

Sources: http://www.isafe.org

Bullying Statistics 2009

Bullying statistics from 2009 show that bullying continues to be a serious problem among America’s young people. Though bullying statistics do not tell every story, they do create a picture of bullying in the US in 2009. Keep reading to get the U.S. bullying stats for 2009.

Bullying statistics can reveal a lot about bullying, but it is important to remember a few things when looking at statistics. Statistics show a broad picture based on numbers, but do not give all the details of individual bullying cases. Statistics on bullying from 2009 sometimes report on studies done in previous years. It is hard to get current numbers on bullying because it takes time to collect, analyze, and report information. Bullying statistics can also vary from one study to another. This may be because of:

  • The way the study was conducted, which can influence how honest people are in their answers or what they do and do not remember or report
  • The number, age, gender, and ethnicity of the people polled
  • How bullying was defined in the survey
  • The location of the survey

With these fact about bullying statistics in mind, bullying statistics from 2009 can be a valuable tool in understanding bullying.

There is a relationship between bullying or being bullied and other types of violence, including fighting, carrying weapons, and suicide. The 2009 Indicators of School Crime and Safety collected statistics from a variety of studies, which showed that:

  • One third of teens reported being bullied while at school
  • About 20 percent of teens had been made fun of by a bully, 18 percent of teens had rumors or gossip spread about them, 11 percent were physically bullied, such as being shoved, tripped, or spit on, 6 percent were threatened, 5 percent were excluded from activities they wanted to participate in, 4 percent were coerced into something they did not want to do, and 4 percent had their personal belongings destroyed by bullies
  • 4 percent of teens in this study reported being the victims of cyber bullying
  • Most bullying occurred inside the school, with smaller numbers of bullying incidents occurring outside on the school grounds, on the school bus, or on the way to school
  • Only about a third of bully victims reported the bullying to someone at school
  • About 2 of every 3 bully victims were bullied once or twice during the school year, 1 in 5 were bullied once or twice a month, and about 1 in 10 were bullied daily or several times a week
  • In this study, females and white students reported the most incidents of being the victims of bullying
  • 44 percent of middle schools reported bullying problems, compared to just over 20 percent of both elementary and high schools

The bullying statistics 2009 Indicators also reports on incidents which can be related to bullying:

  • Rates of sexual harassment and racial or ethnic tensions were somewhat higher for middle school children than for other age groups
  • Violent crimes are more likely to occur among middle school students and younger teens than among older teens
  • 10 percent of middle and high school students have had hate terms used against them, and over one third have seen hateful graffiti messages
  • Females are more likely to be called be gender-based hate words, while males are more likely to be called by hate words relating to their race or ethnicity
  • Violent deaths, including suicides, are rare at school, though recent events have shown school bullying may be related to violent actions, including suicides, outside of school.
  • Though violent crimes among young people have decreased in recent years, there was a small upswing in the amount of violence taking place at school
  • 8 percent of students were injured or hurt with a weapon at school, and males were more likely than females to be victims
  • 7 percent of students have avoided school or certain places at school because they were afraid of being harmed in some way

Other bullying statistics for 2009 studies report slightly different bullying statistics. The 2009 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that about 1 in 5 teens had been bullied at school in the last year. The government’s Find Youth Info web site also reports some recent bullying statistics:

  • Bullying is most common among middle school children, where almost half of students may be bully victims
  • Between 15 and 25 percent of students overall are frequent victims of bullying, and 15 to 20 percent of students bully others often
  • About 20 percent of students experience physical bullying at some point in their lives, while almost a third experience some type of bullying
  • Cyber bullying statistics show about 8 percent of students have been the victims of a cyber bully
  • Studies have indicated that females may be the victims of bullying more often than males; males are more likely to experience physical or verbal bullying, while females are more likely to experience social or psychological bullying
  • Students with disabilities are more likely to be the victims of bullying
  • Homosexual and bisexual teens are more likely to report bullying than heterosexual teens

Though the above statistics indicate lower numbers of cyber bully victims, other reports have suggested that cyber bullying might be a much more common problem. The Cyberbullying Research Center’s bullying statistics from 2009 show that between 20 and 25 percent of students have been the victims of cyber bullying, with about the same number acting as perpetrators, and that these students are more likely to suffer from low self esteem and suicidal thoughts.

These bullying statistics from 2009 don’t tell every story, but they do indicate that bullying is a serious problem for a large number of youth.

Sources:

National Center for Educational Statistics and Bureau of Justice Statistics, “Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2009” [online]

FindYouthInfo.gov, “How Widespread is the Bullying Problem?” [online]

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “2009 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey Overview” [online]

S. Hinduja, and J. W. Patchin, Cyberbullying Research Center, “Cyberbullying Research” [online]

Cyber Bullying Statistics

Cyber bullying statistics refers to Internet bullying. Cyber bullying is a form of teen violence that can do lasting harm to young people. Bullying statistics show that cyber bullying is a serious problem among teens. By being more aware of cyber bullying, teens and adults can help to fight it.

Cyber bullying affects many adolescents and teens on a daily basis. Cyber bullying involves using technology, like cell phones and the Internet, to bully or harass another person. Cyber bullying can take many forms:

  • Sending mean messages or threats to a person’s email account or cell phone
  • Spreading rumors online or through texts
  • Posting hurtful or threatening messages on social networking sites or web pages
  • Stealing a person’s account information to break into their account and send damaging messages
  • Pretending to be someone else online to hurt another person
  • Taking unflattering pictures of a person and spreading them through cell phones or the Internet
  • Sexting, or circulating sexually suggestive pictures or messages about a person

Cyber bullying can be very damaging to adolescents and teens. It can lead to anxiety, depression, and even suicide. Also, once things are circulated on the Internet, they may never disappear, resurfacing at later times to renew the pain of cyber bullying.

Many cyber bullies think that bullying others online is funny. Cyber bullies may not realize the consequences for themselves of cyberbullying. The things teens post online now may reflect badly on them later when they apply for college or a job. Cyber bullies can lose their cell phone or online accounts for cyber bullying. Also, cyber bullies and their parents may face legal charges for cyber bullying, and if the cyber bullying was sexual in nature or involved sexting, the results can include being registered as a sex offender. Teens may think that if they use a fake name they won’t get caught, but there are many ways to track some one who is cyber bullying.

Despite the potential damage of cyber bullying, it is alarmingly common among adolescents and teens. According to Cyber bullying statistics from the i-SAFE foundation:

  • Over half of adolescents and teens have been bullied online, and about the same number have engaged in cyber bullying.
  • More than 1 in 3 young people have experienced cyberthreats online.
  • Over 25 percent of adolescents and teens have been bullied repeatedly through their cell phones or the Internet.
  • Well over half of young people do not tell their parents when cyber bullying occurs.

The Harford County Examiner reported similarly concerning cyber bullying statistics:

  • Around half of teens have been the victims of cyber bullying
  • Only 1 in 10 teens tells a parent if they have been a cyber bully victim
  • Fewer than 1 in 5 cyber bullying incidents are reported to law enforcement
  • 1 in 10 adolescents or teens have had embarrassing or damaging pictures taken of themselves without their permission, often using cell phone cameras
  • About 1 in 5 teens have posted or sent sexually suggestive or nude pictures of themselves to others
  • Girls are somewhat more likely than boys to be involved in cyber bullying

The Cyberbullying Research Center also did a series of surveys that found these cyber bullying statistics:

  • Over 80 percent of teens use a cell phone regularly, making it the most popular form of technology and a common medium for cyber bullying
  • About half of young people have experienced some form of cyber bullying, and 10 to 20 percent experience it regularly
  • Mean, hurtful comments and spreading rumors are the most common type of cyber bullying
  • Girls are at least as likely as boys to be cyber bullies or their victims
  • Boys are more likely to be threatened by cyber bullies than girls
  • Cyber bullying affects all races
  • Cyber bullying victims are more likely to have low self esteem and to consider suicide

Parents and teens can do some things that help reduce the cyber bullying statistics:

  • Talks to teens about cyber bullying, explaining that it is wrong and can have serious consequences. Make a rule that teens may not send mean or damaging messages, even if someone else started it, or suggestive pictures or messages or they will lose their cell phone and computer privileges for a time.
  • Encourage teens to tell an adult if cyber bullying is occurring. Tell them if they are the victims they will not be punished, and reassure them that being bullied is not their fault.
  • Teens should keep cyber bullying messages as proof that the cyber bullying is occurring. The teens’ parents may want to talk to the parents of the cyber bully, to the bully’s Internet or cell phone provider, and/or to the police about the messages, especially if they are threatening or sexual in nature.
  • Try blocking the person sending the messages. It may be necessary to get a new phone number or email address and to be more cautious about giving out the new number or address.
  • Teens should never tell their password to anyone except a parent, and should not write it down in a place where it could be found by others.
  • Teens should not share anything through text or instant messaging on their cell phone or the Internet that they would not want to be made public – remind teens that the person they are talking to in messages or online may not be who they think they are, and that things posted electronically may not be secure.
  • Encourage teens never to share personal information online or to meet someone they only know online.
  • Keep the computer in a shared space like the family room, and do not allow teens to have Internet access in their own rooms.
  • Encourage teens to have times when they turn off the technology, such as at family meals or after a certain time at night.
  • Parents may want to wait until high school to allow their teens to have their own email and cell phone accounts, and even then parents should still have access to the accounts.

If teens have been the victims or perpetuators of cyber bullying they may need to talk to a counselor or therapist to overcome depression or other harmful effects of cyber bullying.

Sources:

Richard Webster, Harford County Examiner, “From cyber bullying to sexting: What on your kids’ cell?” [online]

i-SAFE Inc., “Cyber Bullying: Statistics and Tips” [online]

Cyberbullying Research Center, “Summary of our cyberbullying research from 2004-2010” [online]

National Crime Prevention Council, “Cyberbullying” [online]