Bullying Facts, Bullying Statistics:
Bullied victims are 7 to 9 % more likely to consider suicide according to a study by Yale University. Studies in Britain have found half of the suicides among youth related to bullying. According to a study by ABC News over 30,000 children stay home every day due to the fear of being bullied. Bullying can be related to physical, emotional, cyberbullying, and sexting, i.e. circulating nude or suggestive pictures or messages about of a person.
The Urban Institute’s study on bullying showed 17 % of students reported being victims of cyberbullying, 41 % victims of physical bullying, and 15 % experienced different kinds. The types and rates of bullying varied according to gender in this study. About 50 % of girls experienced psychological bullying, and 45 percent males physical bullying.
The Center For Disease Control reported that students that experience bullying are twice as likely to suffer from various problems. These include depression, sleep difficulties, anxiety, and trouble adjusting to school. They are twice as likely to get stomach-aches and headaches.
The National Center for Educational Statistics reports that in 2014 1 of 3 students reported being bullied during the school year. In the National Crime Victimization Survey of 2014 about 64.5 % reported incidents that occurred twice in the year. About 18.5 % reported incidents reported bullying twice a month, and 7.8 % reported bullying being bullied daily.
According to another study, by J. Anderson, Many students reported bullying that involved being made fun of and called names. Other methods of bullying were having rumors spread about them, threating the person with bodily harm, being pushed or shoved, and spit on. Others students had their belongings stolen or destroyed and were excluded from the groups on purpose. Bullying often produces depression, lowers self-esteem, and produces a mentality of helplessness in victims.
According to the Suicide Awareness Voices for Education, suicide is, among 15 to 24 years olds, one of the leading causes of death for youth. Over 16 % of students seriously consider suicide, 13 % create a plan, and 8 % have made a serious attempt.
About 80 % of youth that commits suicide have depressive symptoms. Peer victimizations and bullying causes higher rates of suicide among youth according to the JAMA Paediatrics. Cyberbullying leads to thoughts of suicide more than traditional bullying. Many students are bullied and engage in bullying behavior.
Cases of Suicides Due to Bullying:
A young male from Ireland named Joshua Unsworth hanged himself after frequent cyberbullying on a social network that he belonged to. He was teased about his father being a farmer and peers made fun of his dating habits. This constant barrage of bullying lead to depression and suicide.
On January 12, 2012 Amanda Diane Cummings, a 15 year old Staten Island youth, jumped in front of a bus. She carried a note on her that stated that classmates were constantly teasing her and stole her personal possessions. While she recovered in the hospital classmates posted cruel comments on her Facebook page. Bullying is not considered a serious crime by many. Kids that report incidents are told to toughen up or fight back. Sometimes authorities tell children no one likes a tattletale, so they do not get the help they need.
Audrie Pott was attacked sexually at a party she attended by three boys. Photos were taken of the incident and posted online. She was at a sleepover and alcohol was involved. The girl hunged herself about 8 days after the incident. The Photos were shared with classmates from Saratoga High School. She did not tell anyone about the attack or the incident. Her parents did not know about it until after her death.
A 15 year old Connecticut boy, Bart Palosz, took his life by shooting himself. His death is linked with many years of bullying at school and on social networks. He was a quiet boy that related better to adults than his peers. He was 6 feet 3 inches tall and had a Polish accent, which making him a target for bullying. Incidents include boys in town calling him names, pushing him into bushes, and destroying his cell phone.
He did not fight back or tell any adult about the bullying.The boy met with a guidance counselor several times but told the woman everything was fine. Although his parents claim they asked the school for help, nothing was done. He also posted comments about suicide on social media recently a sign of trouble.
Another girl Cynthie Sanchez killed herself after years of peer bullying and cyberbullying. Sometimes kids just called her name but online they told her to kill herself. She suffered from depression, which is believed to have contributed to her to her suicide. She was only 14 years old.
These are a few of the many cases that show bullying contributing to suicide in youth.