October is National Bullying Awareness Month. Every day thousands of young people experience bullying from their peers while at school, at home, and through social media and texts. It is estimated that 64 percent of children that experience bullying do not report it, while only 20.8 percent report it. The prevalence of bullying increases from 35 percent from ages 12 to 18. Statistics show 57 percent of the situations will cease when a peer intervenes.
Cyberbullying has increased from 18 percent to 34 percent since 2007. 24 percent are middle aged students, while 15.5 percent is high school students. 90 percent of teens who experience cyberbullying have also reported of being bullied offline as well.
Students who are bullied are more likely to experience low self-esteem, isolate themselves, perform poorly in school, experience physical symptoms such as stomachaches or sleep disturbances, and they may experience depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts. Statistics have shown that 14 percent of victims of bullying have considered suicide, while 7 percent have attempted.
If your child is being bullied, here are some tips to help: talk and listen to your child, watch for mood changes or behavior, be an example for your child by modeling empathy, tolerance, and respect in your actions, monitor their time online, and if it continues contact your school district to inform them about the situation.
For more information, visit the PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center at https://www.pacer.org/bullying/nbpm/.
