Bullying can happen to just about anyone in any school in any town in the country. It is important to realize that bullying can occur in person, online and even through devices.
Rumor-spreading and verbal insults are forms of bullying. Students do not always report behaviors that are indicative of bullying, so bullying instances may be greater than data suggests. The Monique Burr Foundation for Children says 13 million students will be bullied in the United States this year. Around 160,000 students miss school daily for fear of being bullied. The U.S. Department of Justice says one in four children are bullied. Bullying also is a problem in Canada. According to the 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth, the majority of Canadian youth between the ages of 12 and 17 (71 percent) reported experiencing at least one form of bullying in the 12-month period prior to the survey. Eighty-nine percent of Canadian teachers see cyberbullying as a top concern, and 42 percent of bullied youths face it monthly. Parents, educators and students need to be aware of bullying and treat it with the concern it deserves.
