children s health issues
Bullying
Introduction
Bullying is a form of violence in which repeated verbal, emotional, physical, and/or psychological attacks are done to dominate or humiliate another person. (See also Overview of Social Issues Affecting Children and see Bullying can occur at all ages, from preschool through adulthood. Almost all children will at some time experience bullying behavior, whether they are bullying other children, are being bullied, and/or are a bystander of others being bullied. Both boys and girls can be bullies. Although adults have often viewed bullying as a normal part of childhood, it is not normal. Many victims are physically and/or emotionally harmed by bullying. Furthermore, the bullies themselves learn negative behaviors that, if not corrected, can lead to further violence. With rising tensions in the world over reproductive health, sexual orientation and gender issues, and racism and other hate speech and actions, children and adolescents are at increased risk of being bullied for their beliefs or perceived differences. A survey done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States in 2021 found that, in the past year, 15% of high school students reported being bullied on school property and 16% reported being bullied electronically (called cyberbullying). According to the CDC survey, female students were more likely than male students to be bullied on school property, and LGBQ+ students and students who had any same-sex partners were more likely than other students to be bullied on school property. Black students were less likely than students from most other racial and ethnic groups to be bullied on school property. American Indian or Alaska Native and White students were more likely than students from most other racial and ethnic groups to be cyberbullied, and LGBQ+ students and students who had any same-sex partners were more likely than other students to be cyberbullied. 