Pew Research Study on Bullying
In a recent report published by Pew Research, the widespread occurrence of bullying among U.S. children, both online and offline, has raised concerns among parents, sparking discussions about schools' responsibility to tackle student harassment. Bullying stands out as one of the primary concerns for parents, with 35% expressing extreme or very high levels of worry for their children.
Online harassment is a significant issue for U.S. teens, with 53% considering it a major problem, particularly affecting Black and Hispanic teens, those from lower-income households, and teen girls. Nearly half of U.S. teens have experienced cyberbullying, with offensive name-calling being the most common type.
Disparities in bullying experiences based on factors such as race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation are evident. For instance, Black teens are more likely to be targeted online due to their race or ethnicity, while high schoolers who identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual are twice as likely to report bullying both at school and online compared to their heterosexual counterparts.
Data from the 2019-2020 school year indicates that around 20% of U.S. middle and high school students experienced bullying, with girls, middle schoolers, and students in rural areas being more likely targets. The most common forms of at-school bullying include being the subject of rumors and being made fun of or insulted.
Despite the prevalence of bullying, less than half of middle and high schoolers who experienced bullying reported it to a teacher or another adult. Younger students were more likely to inform adults at school, with 60% of those experiencing frequent bullying notifying an adult compared to 35% of those bullied on a single day.
Facts About Bullying in the U.S.
Cyberbullying is the most common type of bullying in the U.S.
Black and Hispanic teens are more likely to be cyberbullied than white teens. Black and Hispanic teens, those from lower-income households, and teenage girls are more likely to experience cyberbullying than their counterparts.
LGBTQ+ kids are almost 2x more likely to be bullied at school and online than heterosexual kids.
Nearly half of U.S. teens (46%) have experienced cyberbullying. This includes being called offensive names, having rumors spread about them online, or receiving unwanted explicit images.
Girls are more likely than boys to be cyberbullied.
Parents are highly concerned about bullying. 35% of parents are extremely or very worried about their children being bullied. Only anxiety and depression rank higher as concerns for parents.
Cyberbullying often involves multiple forms of abuse. Among teens who have experienced cyberbullying, 28% report encountering multiple types of harassment.