Bullying in Schools Statistics

Bullying, which was once thought a normal transient rite of passage that everyone goes through, has drastically propagated and its traumatic impact on victims now calls for a serious immediate action more than ever. Apparently, it’s not going away anytime soon, if we’re not going to act now.

The figures scream it all out aloud, making us speechless in disbelief.

School bullying statistics in 2010 reveal that about 160,000 children miss school every day out of fear of being bullied. One out of 10 students drops out or changes school due to repeated bullying. Another statistic showed that a child is being bullied in every 7 minutes. Only 4% of this is reported to adults and school authorities; 11% receives peer intervention; and unfortunately, 85% remains unreported.

Bullying Girls in Schools

What made things more alarming is that the forms of bullying no longer just involves painful physical contact, destroying one’s personal property or clothing, verbal abuse, spreading rumours, and name calling confined in the four walls of the classroom or in the school premises but also traumatic emotional assaults in the cyberspace. Yes, thanks to technology, bullies have found yet another medium to extend their iniquity at is has taken even in the form of cyber bullying, fuelling the rise of bullying cases further.

Bullying in schools statistics showed that bullies have found new haven in bashing and rumours aimed maliciously at a single student in the World Wide Web and this has been becoming more prevalent than physical assaults. It is as if talking bad right in your face or assaulting you in school isn’t enough, these bully will continue the craze by anonymously hitting you hard with hurtful comments in the internet – supposedly a safe sanctuary in the comforts of your home.

People often do not understand how difficult it is to be bullied until they experience one or until it happens to their loved ones. It pierces through one’s self-confidence and drags it to the very bottom. This would eventually reflect on the poor grades on report cards. One will definitely have a hard time concentrating, sleeping or eating. Clearly there is something wrong going on and yet the child cannot divulge it easily due to fear. They, too, are most likely to suffer from depression or anxiety until late adulthood. See how far those silly pranks can get?

Worse, one who gets bullied may become a bully too, as a way to get back, worsening the scenario further. It explains why and how an abused child at home emerges as a bully.

And if worse comes to worst, what others think of as simple pranks to pull off or turning their classmates into punching bags, have become so deterrent and so traumatic it affects the normal development of innocent victims. It has shattered thousands of lives already and even claimed the lives of undeserving ones.

How?

The victims commit suicide, due to the unbearable psychological stresses bullying has brought. Termed as bullycide, it is a significant link between bullying, being bullied, and suicide and it is very common among bullied adolescents. In fact, bullying in school statistics showed that it is one of the leading causes of death under 14 years old.

Bullying in Schools

But why is bullying so prevalent? It’s because the bullied child have lost confidence in himself and the fear that the bully may further get back on him again if he tells the adults about the bullying act. Hence, open communication between parents and children must be maintained and the former must be observant of bullying signs. School authorities must be informed as well as the parents of the bully. It is the only way to straighten those bullies out and stop them from victimizing others.

Also children must be taught to be assertive and socialize with groups of classmates as there is strength in number. Remember, bully preys on those they feel are weaker than them.

Bullies deserve proper disciplinary measures, if not suspended or expelled from the school, or detained in juvenile detention centers – they must face the dire consequences of their actions.

Bullying is a factor to violence, homicide and other evil acts later in life. But in some instances, bullies may have also been victims of bullies, or have been physically abuse at home. They do this to retaliate, avenge and get even. Bullying in schools statistics also revealed that bullies are more likely to be involved in smoking and drinking alcohol, and do more poorly academically. Though clearly still not an excuse to hurt others, what must be addressed is the root of it in the bullies’ homes.

Any forms of bullying must be stopped now. And children must be spared from physical abuse at home. Otherwise, the vicious cycle continues.

Children have the right to live in a peaceful place, like a safe school, and their dreams and ego shouldn’t just be shattered by their abominable contemporaries who are most often victims of abuse themselves.

Bullying in schools statistics have revealed more than enough. It’s high time that we act and send these horrible figures back to zero where they truly belong.