Almost half of US teens, 46% in 2025, reported experiencing cyberbullying at least once, yet so many schools and families still miss what is happening behind the screen. While only 55% of schools have cyberbullying policies and just 40% of victims tell parents, effective responses exist, from bystander training to school interventions that cut recurrence. Let’s look at the full set of statistics and what they reveal about who gets targeted, what gets missed, and what actually helps.
Key Takeaways
- 67% of teachers unaware of cyberbullying incidents in schools, StopBullying.gov 2022.
- Only 40% of victims tell parents about cyberbullying, Pew 2023.
- 55% of schools lack cyberbullying policies, NCES 2019.
- 55% of cyberbullied teens develop depression symptoms, CDC 2021.
- Cyberbullying victims 2x more likely to attempt suicide, meta-analysis 2022.
- 30% of victims experience anxiety disorders post-cyberbullying, 2021 study.
- In 2023, 46% of US teens aged 13-17 reported experiencing cyberbullying at least once, according to a Pew Research Center survey.
- Globally, 1 in 3 children have been cyberbullied, per a 2022 UNICEF report analyzing data from 30 countries.
- 59% of US middle school students reported being cyberbullied in the past year in a 2021 CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey.
- 70% of cyberbullies are peers from school, US 2021 study.
- Males 60% more likely to cyberbully than females, meta-analysis 2022.
- 30% of cyberbullies also traditional bullies, CDC 2021.
- Globally, females are 1.5 times more likely to be cyberbullied than males, 2022 meta-analysis.
- In the US, 15-19 year old females report 50% higher cyberbullying rates than males, CDC 2021.
- LGBTQ+ youth are 2-3 times more likely to experience cyberbullying, GLSEN 2022.
Cyberbullying affects millions, yet few victims report it and schools lack strong policies.
Related reading
01 · Category
Awareness and Prevention24 stats
01
67% of teachers unaware of cyberbullying incidents in schools, StopBullying.gov 2022.
02
Only 40% of victims tell parents about cyberbullying, Pew 2023.
03
55% of schools lack cyberbullying policies, NCES 2019.
04
Digital literacy programs reduce cyberbullying by 25%, 2022 meta-analysis.
05
Reporting tools used by only 12% of victims, EU Kids Online 2022.
06
Parent monitoring apps decrease incidents by 30%, 2021 study.
07
School interventions effective 60% in reducing recurrence, CDC 2021.
08
70% of teens want more education on online safety, Pew 2023.
09
Anti-bullying laws in 49 US states, but enforcement varies, 2023.
10
Bystander intervention training reduces cyberbullying 35%, 2022.
11
Social media platforms remove only 50% of reported cyberbullying, 2022 transparency.
12
Awareness campaigns reach 40% of youth, UNICEF 2022.
13
Teacher training programs lower incidents 20%, UK 2022.
14
Peer mentoring reduces victimization 28%, Australia 2022.
15
45% of parents unaware of child's online risks, 2023 survey.
16
SEL programs cut cyberbullying 22%, CASEL meta 2021.
17
Hotlines handle 10,000+ cyberbullying calls yearly US, 2022.
18
Platform age verification could prevent 15% cases, 2023 study.
19
Community programs boost reporting 50%, Canada 2021.
20
60% schools now have cyber policies post-2020, NCES update.
21
AI detection tools identify 70% cyberbullying posts, pilot 2023.
22
Family discussions weekly reduce risk 40%, Pew.
23
Global awareness day reaches 100M, Safer Internet Day 2023.
24
Victim support groups improve coping 55%, 2022 RCT.
Interpretation
Awareness and Prevention Interpretation
The statistics paint a bleak yet fixable picture: we’ve built a digital playground where most adults are unaware of the fights, the kids are hesitant to call for help, and the referees are inconsistently trained, yet the clear path forward—through education, tools, and talking—is frustratingly underutilized despite proven results.
02 · Category
Consequences and Impacts24 stats
01
55% of cyberbullied teens develop depression symptoms, CDC 2021.
02
Cyberbullying victims 2x more likely to attempt suicide, meta-analysis 2022.
03
30% of victims experience anxiety disorders post-cyberbullying, 2021 study.
04
Victims miss 2.7 more school days annually due to cyberbullying, NCES 2019.
05
45% report lower self-esteem after cyberbullying, Pew 2023.
06
PTSD symptoms in 20% of severe cyberbullying victims, 2020.
07
Victims 3x higher substance abuse risk, CDC 2021.
08
Sleep disturbances in 65% of cyberbullied teens, 2022 study.
09
25% drop in academic performance post-cyberbullying, UNESCO 2021.
10
Victims 2.5x more lonely, EU Kids Online 2022.
11
In US, cyberbullying linked to 15% higher obesity risk via stress, 2023.
12
40% experience physical health complaints like headaches, UK NSPCC.
13
Suicidal ideation 2.2x higher in cyber victims, WHO 2022.
14
Victims 50% less likely to trust peers after incident, 2021.
15
Long-term: 35% adult anxiety from teen cyberbullying, longitudinal 2020.
16
28% higher dropout risk for cyberbullied students, Australia 2022.
17
Victims report 60% higher stress levels, cortisol studies 2023.
18
Eating disorders 1.7x in female cyber victims, 2022.
19
Social withdrawal in 55% of cases, Pew 2023.
20
Victims 4x self-harm risk, GLSEN 2022 for LGBTQ+.
21
32% lower life satisfaction scores, HBSC 2022.
22
In Canada, 22% hospital visits linked to cyberbullying mental health, 2021.
23
Victims 40% more aggressive later, cycle effect, 2020.
24
50% report ongoing fear of online spaces, EU 2022.
Interpretation
Consequences and Impacts Interpretation
This isn't just about mean comments online; it's a slow-motion public health crisis that methodically hijacks a teenager's mind, body, grades, and future, trading pixels for psychological scars that echo into adulthood.
03 · Category
Incidence and Prevalence30 stats
01
In 2023, 46% of US teens aged 13-17 reported experiencing cyberbullying at least once, according to a Pew Research Center survey.
02
Globally, 1 in 3 children have been cyberbullied, per a 2022 UNICEF report analyzing data from 30 countries.
03
59% of US middle school students reported being cyberbullied in the past year in a 2021 CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey.
04
In the UK, 25% of children aged 10-15 experienced cyberbullying in 2022, from the NSPCC annual report.
05
37% of young people worldwide aged 12-18 faced cyberbullying in 2021, UNESCO Institute for Statistics data.
06
In Australia, 20% of secondary students reported cyberbullying victimization in 2022, per the National Centre for Student Wellbeing.
07
41% of US high school students experienced cyberbullying in 2021, CDC data.
08
In India, 32% of adolescents reported cyberbullying in a 2023 study by NIMHANS.
09
28% of European teens aged 12-17 faced cyberbullying in 2022 EU Kids Online survey.
10
In Canada, 24% of youth aged 12-17 were cyberbullied in 2021, per Statistics Canada.
11
35% of US girls aged 13-17 reported cyberbullying in 2023, Pew Research.
12
In Brazil, 40% of students aged 12-17 experienced cyberbullying during COVID-19, 2022 study.
13
22% of global youth reported repeated cyberbullying, WHO 2022.
14
In South Africa, 33% of high school students faced cyberbullying in 2023.
15
48% of US LGBTQ+ youth experienced cyberbullying in 2022, GLSEN survey.
16
In Japan, 15% of junior high students reported cyberbullying in 2022 MEXT survey.
17
30% of Spanish adolescents aged 12-16 cyberbullied in 2021, INVERSUS study.
18
In the Philippines, 29% of students experienced cyberbullying in 2022 PISA data.
19
39% of US teens saw cyberbullying content online weekly, 2023 Pew.
20
In Germany, 18% of 12-17 year olds cyberbullied in 2022 BZgA study.
21
45% of US students aged 12-18 bullied online, 2019 NCES data.
22
In China, 27% of middle schoolers cyberbullied in 2023 survey.
23
26% of Italian youth aged 11-19 experienced cyberbullying, 2022 HBSC.
24
In Mexico, 34% of teens reported cyberbullying in 2022 INEGI.
25
31% of Swedish adolescents cyberbullied, 2021 Public Health Agency.
26
In New Zealand, 23% of secondary students cyberbullied, 2022 Youth2000.
27
42% of US boys aged 13-17 cyberbullied, 2023 data.
28
In Russia, 21% of schoolchildren experienced cyberbullying, 2023 Rosstat.
29
36% of Argentine youth cyberbullied, 2022 UNICEF.
30
In Turkey, 28% of high school students cyberbullied, 2022 study.
Interpretation
Incidence and Prevalence Interpretation
This global sampling of youth reveals that cyberspace, for all its wonders, often functions as a schoolyard without supervision, where nearly half of our kids are learning cruelty as a second language.
More related reading
04 · Category
Perpetrator Characteristics21 stats
01
70% of cyberbullies are peers from school, US 2021 study.
02
Males 60% more likely to cyberbully than females, meta-analysis 2022.
03
30% of cyberbullies also traditional bullies, CDC 2021.
04
Bullies often have high social status, 40% popular students, 2020 study.
05
Cyberbullies average age 14-16, peak in high school, Pew 2023.
06
25% of perpetrators anonymous online, EU Kids Online 2022.
07
Male perpetrators target females 70% of time, 2021 study.
08
Cyberbullies often from same ethnic group, 65% cases, US 2022.
09
35% of bullies have mental health issues like conduct disorder, 2020.
10
In schools, 20% of cyberbullies are teachers/staff rarely, mostly peers 80%.
11
Perpetrators spend 4+ hours daily online, 50% higher risk, 2023.
12
Anonymous accounts used by 40% cyberbullies, UK 2022.
13
Bullies often victimized themselves, 40% bully-victims, CDC.
14
High SES perpetrators 25%, but low SES more aggressive online.
15
LGBTQ+ youth perpetrators 15%, but victims higher, GLSEN.
16
In Australia, male bullies 55% of cases, 2022.
17
Repeat offenders 60% of cyberbullying cases multiple times.
18
Perpetrators use social media 85%, gaming 15%, 2023 data.
19
Bullies with low empathy scores 70% more likely, psych study.
20
Group cyberbullying 50%, solo 50%, EU 2022.
21
Cyberbullies often siblings/friends 30%, strangers 10%.
Interpretation
Perpetrator Characteristics Interpretation
If we're painting by numbers, the portrait of a cyberbully is a shockingly familiar one: often a popular, tech-saturated teenage peer from your own school and social circle, who is statistically more likely to be a male with low empathy, acting not from the shadows of anonymity but from the center of his own digital world.
05 · Category
Victim Characteristics26 stats
01
Globally, females are 1.5 times more likely to be cyberbullied than males, 2022 meta-analysis.
02
In the US, 15-19 year old females report 50% higher cyberbullying rates than males, CDC 2021.
03
LGBTQ+ youth are 2-3 times more likely to experience cyberbullying, GLSEN 2022.
04
Students with disabilities face 2.5 times higher cyberbullying risk, 2021 study.
05
Low-income US teens 40% more likely to be cyberbullied, Pew 2023.
06
In UK, ethnic minority youth 30% higher cyberbullying victimization, NSPCC 2022.
07
Rural US students 25% more cyberbullied than urban, NCES 2019.
08
Overweight adolescents 1.8 times more likely cyberbullied, 2020 meta-analysis.
09
In Australia, Indigenous youth cyberbullying rate 35%, vs 20% non-Indigenous, 2022.
10
US Asian American teens 28% cyberbullied, higher than average, 2021.
11
In Canada, immigrant youth 1.6 times more cyberbullied, 2021.
12
Female victims report higher emotional distress from cyberbullying, 2022 study.
13
In EU, 12-15 year olds highest cyberbullying victims at 32%, EU Kids Online 2022.
14
US Black teens 45% cyberbullied, highest among races, 2023 Pew.
15
Autistic youth 4 times more likely cyberbullied, 2021 UK study.
16
In India, urban girls aged 14-16 38% cyberbullied, NIMHANS 2023.
17
Hispanic US students 30% cyberbullied, 2021 CDC.
18
In Brazil, low SES youth 50% cyberbullied, 2022.
19
White US teens lowest at 35% cyberbullying rate, Pew 2023.
20
In South Korea, female students 25% higher victimization, 2022.
21
Transgender youth 60% cyberbullied, GLSEN 2022.
22
In France, 13-15 year old girls 29% victims, HBSC 2022.
23
Native American US youth 55% cyberbullied, highest, 2021.
24
In Spain, high-achieving students less victimized by 20%, 2021.
25
Pacific Islander US teens 42% cyberbullied, 2023.
26
In Japan, introverted students 2x cyberbullied, 2022.
Interpretation
Victim Characteristics Interpretation
While the internet’s promise of a global village is undeniable, these statistics reveal it has also perfected the ancient, cowardly art of targeting the vulnerable, simply amplifying society's oldest prejudices through a new and relentless medium.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Diana Reeves. (2026, February 13). Cyberbullying Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/cyberbullying-statistics
MLA
Diana Reeves. "Cyberbullying Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/cyberbullying-statistics.
Chicago
Diana Reeves. 2026. "Cyberbullying Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/cyberbullying-statistics.
Sources & references
65 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level