Needs of Bullying Survivors

As noted in the teen bullying statistics that Ark of Hope for Children has gathered victims of bullying are still not getting the attention they deserve. Schools and their staff, from bus driver to principal are simply not stepping in to make a difference often enough. We hear it from many of the people we talk to, including parents of bullying victims,

"Everybody gets bullied at one time or another."

bullying standalone04Banner Really?? Is this what we simply give in to? Ark of Hope for Children says "No way!" We suggest that the trauma caused clearly shows that child bullying is child abuse with a different and younger offender (peer abuse). To make matters worse, with the technology at the hands of sometimes heartless people who value fun over feelings, our children are now dying from suicide in record numbers. With this in mind Ark of Hope for Children has sought out solutions.

Yet we don't have all the answers. Ark of Hope has seen many wonderful programs popping up here and there. Some well intentioned people are getting involved and attempting to make a change. Bravo fellow warriors against abuse! And yet, bullying continues to increase, as do adolescent and teen suicides. We have struggled to identify why and how this can be. Our children must wear helmets to ride a bicycle, yet adults still are not putting an end to something just as damaging and far more prevalent?

Enough is enough! What we do know is that some bullying programs running with some good ideas and with a certain amount of success. In Ark of Hope for Children's desire to find a working solution, we are joining ideas and joining forces to collaborate with some impassioned change makers of our time. These are individuals and organizations that are determined to and have been making a difference for our bullied youth. They are those groups with humble hearts are willing to join forces to make a larger, sustainable and lasting impact.

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Bullying info and statistics

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Don't Stand Alone

Compiled by Ark of Hope for Children these child abuse statistics have been gathered to show the need for programs like our Don't Stand Alone - Stop Bulling program. If you are a target of bullying right now, or have been and still feel the pain, join us on Removing Chains live chat survivor support. Don't Stand Alone!

We recognize that, in recent years, a series of bullying-related suicides in the US and across the globe have drawn attention to the connection between bullying and suicide. Too many adults still see bullying as "just part of being a kid." It is a serious problem that leads to many negative effects for victims, including suicide. Research is showing that there is also a link between being a bully and committing suicide.

Some schools or regions seem to have more serious problems with bullying, and suicide related to bullying. This may be due to an excessive problem with bullying at the school. Unsympathetic apathy among teachers, staff and parents at those schools definitely has had a negative effect.

Statistics compiled by Ark of Hope for Children

High Springs, FL This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Types of Bullying:

Bullying can take many forms but it usually includes the following types of behavior;
Physical: hitting, kicking, pinching, punching, scratching, spitting or any other form of physical attack
Damage to or taking someone else's belongings
Verbal: name calling, insulting, making racist, sexist, or homophobic jokes, remarks or teasing, using sexually suggestive or abusive language, offensive remarks
Indirect: spreading nasty stories about someone, exclusion from social groups, being made the subject of malicious rumors, sending abusive mail, email and text messages (cyber bullying)

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Cyber Bullying:

Any type of bullying that is carried out by electronic medium. There are 7 types including;

Text message bullying
Picture/video clip via mobile phone cameras
Phone call bullying
E-mail bullying
Chat-room bullying
Bullying through instant messaging (IM)
Bullying via websites

Bullying Statistics are alarming;

282,000 students are physically attacked in secondary schools each month
56% of students have personally witnessed some type of bullying at school
71% of students report incidents of bullying as a problem at their school
Students in lower grades report being in twice as many fights as those in higher grades. However..
There is a lower rate of serious violent crimes in the elementary level than in the middle or high schools
90% of 4th through 8th graders report being victims of bullying
30 percent of students are either bullies or victims of bullying (reported by ABC News)
1 in 7 Students in Grades K-12 is either a bully or a victim of bullying
American schools harbor approx 2.1 million bullies and 2.7 million of their victims. (Dan Olweus,
National School Safety Center)
160,000 kids stay home from school every day due to fear of bullying (National Education Association & ABC News)
15% of all school absenteeism is directly related to fears of being bullied at school
1 of every 10 students who drops out of school does so because of repeated bullying

Bullying & Homosexuality:

In a 2007 study, 86% of LGBT students said that they had experienced harassment at school during the previous year. (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network -- GLSEN)
Research indicates that LGB youth may be more likely to think about and attempt suicide than heterosexual teens. (GLSEN)
In a 2005 survey, students said their peers were most often bullied because of their appearance, but the next top reason was because of actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender expression. ("From Teasing to Torment: School Climate of America" -- GLSEN and Harris Interactive)
According to the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network 2007 National School Climate Survey of more than 6,000 students;
Nearly 9 out of 10 LGBT youth reported being verbally harassed at school in the past year because of their sexual orientation
Nearly half (44.1 percent) reported being physically harassed
About a quarter (22.1 percent) reported being physically assaulted
Nearly two-thirds (60.8 percent) who experienced harassment or assault never reported the incident to the school
Of those who did report the incident, nearly one-third (31.1 percent) said the school staff did nothing in response

Lethal violence in schools related to bullying;

Bullying statistics say revenge is the strongest motivation for school shootings
86% of students said, other kids picking on them, making fun of or bullying them makes teens to turn to lethal violence in the schools
87% of students said shootings are motivated by a desire to get back at those who have hurt them
61% of students said students shoot others because they have been victims of physical abuse at home
54% of students said witnessing physical abuse at home can lead to violence in school
Harassment and bullying have been linked to 75% of school-shooting incidents
Among students, homicide perpetrators were more than twice as likely as homicide victims to have been bullied by peers
1 out of 20 students has seen a student with a gun at school

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Bullying and suicide;

Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people- about 4,400 per year
For every suicide among young people, there are at least 100 attempts- about 440,000!
14+% high school students have considered suicide, and almost 7 % have attempted it
Bully victims are 2-9 times more likely to consider suicide (Yale University study)
At least half of suicides among young people are related to bullying (British study)
10- 14 year old girls may be at higher risk for suicide (British study above)

Bully-related suicide can be connected to any type of bullying, including;

Physical bullying
Emotional bullying
Cyber bullying
Sexting or circulating suggestive or nude photos or texts about a person

Bullycide: Bully Related Suicide

Suicide rates among 10 to 14-year-olds have grown more than 50 percent over the last three decades. (The American Association of Suicidology, AAS)
Consider the following bullying statistics that Ark of Hope for Children has been able to gather;
Suicide remains among the leading causes of death of children under 14. And in most cases, the young people die from hanging. (AAS)
The suicide rate among young male adults in Massachusetts rose 28 percent in 2007. (Massachusetts Dept. of Public Health, in a report released April 8, 2009)
A new review of studies from 13 countries found signs of an apparent connection between bullying, being bullied, and suicide. (Yale School of Medicine)
Since 2002, at least 15 schoolchildren ages 11 to 14 have committed suicide in Massachusetts. Three of them were Carl's age. ("Constantly Bulled, He Ends His Life at Age 11," by Milton J. Valencia. The Boston Globe, April 20, 2009)
In 2005 (the last year nationwide stats were available), 270 children in the 10-14 age group killed themselves. (AAS)