THE IMPACT OF While bullying can result in reluctance to go to school and truancy, headaches and stomach pains, reduced appetite, shame, anxiety, irritability, aggression and are also frequent effects. Bullying is a direct attack on a student’s status, sense of belonging and core Victim Advocacy Program identity, and often results in low self- esteem. The effects of bullying often Guernsey Co. Administration Building continue many years into adulthood. In Attn: Prosecuting Attorney the most extreme cases, targets have 627 Wheeling Avenue taken out their anger and despair through Cambridge, Ohio 43725 school shootings or by committing suicide. 740.432.9389 The relationship between bullying and suicide is complex. Many media reports oversimplify this relationship, insinuating or directly stating that bullying can cause suicide. The facts tell a different story. In particular, it is not accurate and potentially dangerous to present bullying as the Never be bullied into silence. “cause” or “reason” for a suicide, or to Never allow yourself to be suggest that suicide is a natural response to bullying. made a victim.  Research indicates that persistent ~Tim Field bullying can lead to or worsen feelings of isolation, rejection, exclusion, and despair, as well as depression and anxiety, which can contribute to suicidal behavior.  The vast majority of young people who are bullied do not become suicidal.  Most young people who die by suicide have multiple risk factors.

 Some youth, such as LGBTQ youth, are This project is supported by a National Crime Victims' at increased risk for suicide attempts Rights Week Community Awareness Project subgrant even when bullying is not a factor. awarded by the National Association of VOCA Assistance Administrators under a Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grant from the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. TYPES OF BULLYING National Statistics Been Bullied  28% of students in grades 6-12 experienced bully- Verbal Bullying ing

 Calling names Bullied Others  Gossiping  Approximately 30% of young people admit to bully- ing others  Threatening Seen Bullying  Making fun of others  70.6% of young people say they have seen bullying

in their schools SIGNS A CHILD IS BEING BULLIED Physical Bullying  70.4% of school staff have seen bullying  When bystanders intervene, bullying stops within 10  Unexplainable injuries  Hitting seconds 57% of the time  Lost or destroyed clothing, books, electronics,  Punching Been Cyberbullied or jewelry  Tripping  9% of students in grades 6-12 experienced  Frequent headaches or stomach aches, feeling  Damaging others property sick or faking illness  Pushing  15% of high school students grades 9-12 were  Changes in eating habits, like suddenly electronically bullied skipping meals or binge eating. Kids may come

Social Bullying home from school hungry because they did not More Facts About Bullying eat lunch.  Lying & spreading rumors  60% of middle school students say that they have  Difficulty sleeping or frequent nightmares  Negative facial or physical gestures, been bullied, while 16% of staff believes that menacing or contemptuous looks students are bullied  Declining grades, loss of interest in  Mimicking unkindly  160,000 students stay home from school every day schoolwork, or not wanting to go to school  Encouraging others to socially exclude due to bullying  Sudden loss of friends or avoidance of social someone  30% of students who reported they had been situations  Damaging someone’s social reputation bullied said they had at times brought weapons to  Feelings of helplessness or decreased self or social acceptance school esteem  A bully is 6 times more likely to be incarcerated by  Self-destructive behaviors such as running Cyber Bullying the age of 24 away from home, harming themselves, or  Abusive or hurtful texts, emails, posts,  A bully is 5 times more likely to have a serious talking about suicide images or videos criminal record when he/she grows up  Deliberately excluding  2/3 of students who are targets become bullies SIGNS A CHILD IS BULLYING OTHERS  others online 20% of high school students say they have seriously  Get into physical or verbal fights  Nasty or rumors considered suicide  25% of students say that teachers intervened in  Have friends who bully others bullying incidents while 71% of teachers say they  Are increasingly aggressive intervened  Get sent to the principal’s office or to detention  In schools where there are anti-bullying programs, frequently If you are a victim of a crime, you have bullying is reduced by 50%  Have unexplained extra money or new rights. You may obtain information  Bullying was a factor in 2/3 of the 37 school belongings shootings reviewed by the US Secret Service  others for their problems about your rights through the victim/witness advocacy program of the  Don’t accept responsibility for their actions Guernsey County Prosecutor's Office. *Statistics from the National Center for Education  Are competitive and worry about their Statistics and Bureau of Justice Statistics reputation or popularity