Bullying: Lessons to Combat Cruelty

Bullying is an age-old form of peer abuse that continues to cause concern. In national surveys, nearly one out of every three children report being bullied at school. Students who bully and those who are victimized are likelier than other children to carry a weapon and engage in other acts of school violence. Many states have responded with new laws to combat bullying in schools, including cyberbullying.

This report provides strategies that schools can use to prevent bullying.

• Children who bully are likelier than other students to engage in anti-social and delinquent behaviors at school and as adults.
• Bullied children have lower self-esteem and more frequent physical and mental health problems than other children, as well as higher rates of absenteeism and lower academic performance.
• In a United Educators (UE) claims analysis, the most frequently reported bullying behaviors were sexual assaults and improper touching, physical fights or assaults, verbal abuse, cyberbullying, and the use of weapons.