Bullying is Real
And It Has Consequences
Indiana law defines bullying as “unwanted, aggressive behavior among school-aged children that involves a real or perceived imbalance of power. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time.”
Children who are bullied tend to feel unhappy and lonely, have greater difficulty making friends, and are more likely to experience anxiety and depression. [1]
- 18.7% of Indiana high school students were bullied on school property in the past year.
- Females are more likely than males to have been bullied in the past year (22.5% versus 14.8%). [2]
- 15.7% of Indiana high school students were electronically bullied in the past year.
- Females are nearly twice as likely to be cyberbullied as males (20.6% versus 11%). [3]
- 1 in 20 Indiana students drop out of school because of bullying.
- 13% of Indiana students admitted to bullying someone in the past year.
- Targets of bullying, as well as bystanders, show significant increases in use of drugs and alcohol, thus leading to risky behaviors.
- Every seven minutes a child is bullied on an elementary playground.
- Nationwide, 160,000 students skip school each day because of bullying.
- Social media and technology advances, including the prevalence of cell phones among children, has caused bullying to be a 24/7, nonstop issue. Social media has changed the way bullying occurs and has increased its audience.
Students who witness violence and are fearful at school may feel the need to protect themselves through actions that can increase the likelihood of violence, such as carrying weapons at school. [4]
- 5.5% of Indiana high school students were in a physical fight on school property within the last year. Males were twice as likely to get in a fight as females.
- 5.6% of high school students carried a weapon such as a gun, knife, or club onto school property in the past month.
- 6.6% of high school students were threatened or injured with a weapon on school property within the last year. [5]
- Students who bully at age 8 are five times more likely to have a serious criminal record by age 30 than non-bullies.
[1] Child Trends (2016). Bullying.
[2] Indiana State Department of Health (2015). Youth Risk Behavior Survey.
[3] Indiana State Department of Health (2015). Youth Risk Behavior Survey.
[4] Child Trends (2015). Unsafe at School.
[5] Indiana State Department of Health (2015). Youth Risk Behavior Survey.