More kids are reporting being bullied.
According to a survey by the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, 40% of kids said they were bullied on school property in the last year. Of those, 38% didn’t tell an adult.
This number has been increasing over the past three years. In 2022, 37% of kids said they were bullied, while in 2020 the number was 25%.
The survey showcases findings from 130,000 kids and teens ages 9 to 18.
About 1 in 5, or 18%, of the kids surveyed said they have experienced cyberbullying in the past year.
“A lot of the bullying that I’ve seen has taken place through cyberbullying first before it turns into bullying," said Diana Virgil, a professional school counselor in Alabama and part of the American School Counselor Association. "What I mean by that is, it might start on social media first, but then it ends up being a face-to-face interaction in person, based on the cyberbullying portion of it.”
So how can parents and educators help?
“Make sure students understand what is bullying, what is being rude, and what is cyberbullying,” Virgil said.
Resource website StopBullying.gov recommends school staff get training on bullying prevention.
If your child gets bullied, they suggest the child walk away and stay away. Don’t fight back, and find an adult.
Also encourage kids to talk to adults they trust about the incident, and stay away from places or areas where bullying might happen more frequently.
“It’s always important, especially for educators and parents, to make sure we get the whole story before reacting,” Virgil said. She said following a bullying incident, it's important to understand and help not only the victim but any witnesses and bystanders through a traumatic incident.
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