Sixty-six percent of youth are teased at least once a month, and nearly one-third of youth are bullied at least once a month.
Six out of 10 American teens witness bullying at least once a day.
For children in grades 6–10, nearly one in six (or 3.2 million) are victims of bullying each year and 3.7 million are bullies.
An estimated 160,000 children miss school every day out of fear of attack or intimidation by other students.
One out of every 10 students who drops out of school does so because of repeated bullying.
Victims of bullying are more likely to suffer physical problems such as common colds and coughs, sore throats and poor appetite.
Those who are bullied are five times more likely to be depressed and far more likely to be suicidal.
The effects of bullying can be long-lasting. By age 23, children who were bullied in middle school were more depressed and had lower self-esteem than their peers who had not been bullied.
Bullying by Gender*
By self-report, boys are more likely than girls to bully others.
Girls frequently report being bullied by both boys and girls, but boys report that they are most often bullied only by other boys.
Verbal bullying is the most frequent form of bullying experienced by both boys and girls. Boys are more likely to be physically bullied by their peers; girls are more likely to report being targets of rumors spreading and sexual comments. Girls are more likely to bully each other using social exclusion.
Use of derogatory speculation about sexual orientation is so common that many parents do not think of telling their children that it could be hurtful.
Symptoms of Bullying*
Stresses of being bullied can interfere with student's engagement and learning in school.
Children and youth who are bullied are more likely than other children to be depressed, lonely, anxious, have low self-esteem, feel unwell, and think about suicide.
Students who are bullied may fear going to school, using the bathroom, and riding on the school bus.
Research shows that bullying can be a sign of other serious antisocial or violent behavior. Children and youth who frequently bully their peers are more likely than others to get into frequent fights, be injured in a fight, vandalize or steal property, drink alcohol, smoke, be truant from school, drop out of school, and carry a weapon.
Bullying also has an impact on other students at school who are bystanders to bullying.
Bullying creates a climate of fear and disrespect in schools and has a negative impact on student learning.