Bullying Statistics & Risk Factors

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bullied girl - bullying statistics in US

Parenting Resource Center

Statistics about Bullying

Bullying and cyberbullying are serious problems in the United States. The statistics below show just how prevalent bullying really is.

%

of U.S. students in grades 6–12 experienced bullying.

%

of U.S. students in grades 9–12 experienced bullying.

%

of young people admit to bullying others in surveys.

Bullied boy with head down - cyberbullying in US

More Stats

160,000 kids per day skip school for fear of being bullied.

WITNESSED BULLYING

70.6% of young people say they have seen bullying in their schools.
70.4% of school staff have seen bullying. 62% witnessed bullying two or more times in the last month and 41% witness bullying once a week or more.
When bystanders intervene, bullying stops within 10 seconds 57% of the time.

CYBERBULLYING

6% of students in grades 6–12 experienced cyberbullying.
16% of high school students (grades 9–12) were electronically bullied in the past year.
However, 55.2% of LGBT students experienced cyberbullying.

RISK FACTORS FOR BULLYING

No single factor puts a child at risk of being bullied or bullying others. Bullying can happen anywhere—cities, suburbs, or rural towns. Depending on the environment, some groups, such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered (LGBT) youth, youth with disabilities, and socially isolated youth, may be at an increased risk of being bullied.

Generally, children who are bullied have one or more of the following risk factors:

Are perceived as different from their peers, such as being overweight or underweight, wearing glasses or different clothing, being new to a school, or being unable to afford what kids consider “cool”
Are perceived as weak or unable to defend themselves
Are depressed, anxious, or have low self esteem
Are less popular than others and have few friends
Do not get along well with others, are seen as annoying or provoking, or antagonize others for attention

However, even if a child has these risk factors, it doesn’t mean that they will be bullied.

References & Sources

U.S. Dept. of Justice
Hawkins, D. L., Pepler, D., and Craig, W. M. (2001). Peer interventions in playground bullying. Social Development, 10, 512-527.
National Center for Education Statistics and Bureau of Justice Statistics, School Crime Supplement,2008–2009
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM, 2011
Bradshaw, C.P., Sawyer, A.L., & O’Brennan, L.M. (2007). Bullying and peer victimization at school: Perceptual differences between students and school staff. School Psychology Review, 36 (3), 361-382.
Bradshaw, C.P., Sawyer, A.L., & O’Brennan, L.M. (2007). Bullying and peer victimization at school: Perceptual differences between students and school staff. School Psychology Review, 36 (3), 361-382.
Bradshaw, C.P., Sawyer, A.L., & O’Brennan, L.M. (2007). Bullying and peer victimization at school: Perceptual differences between students and school staff. School Psychology Review, 36 (3), 361-382.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM, 2011.
Kosciw, J. G., Greytak, E. A., Bartkiewicz, M. J., Boesen, M. J., & Palmer, N. A. (2012). The 2011 National School Climate Survey: The experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth in our nation’s schools. New York: GLSEN.
AT RISK GROUPS
YOUTH WITH DISABILITIES