If you think social bullying is “just drama,” the numbers tell a harsher story: in the 2021 U.S. Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 19.5% of high school students reported being bullied on school property and 14.2% reported being electronically bullied, with those experiences often tied to mental health harm, missed school, and targeting based on sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, and more.
Key Takeaways
- In the 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), 19.5% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied on school property during the 12 months before the survey
- In the 2021 YRBS, 14.2% of U.S. high school students reported being electronically bullied during the 12 months before the survey
- In the 2019 YRBS, 19.5% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied on school property during the 12 months before the survey
- 32% of U.S. teens (13–17) reported that they experienced some form of online harassment (including being bullied) “at least once,” per Pew Research Center (2022)
- 40% of U.S. teens (13–17) reported that they had been sent an embarrassing or unwanted message online (a form of harassment)
- 34% of U.S. teens (13–17) reported that someone posted mean things about them online (a form of harassment)
- 25% of students surveyed in the OECD’s 2019 PISA reported being bullied at least a few times in the school year
- In the OECD PISA 2018 student well-being report, students who were bullied more frequently reported lower life satisfaction; the report states a significant negative association (with effect size reported)
- In PISA 2018, about 23% of students reported being bullied at school at least a few times during the school year
- In Finland’s KiVa program evaluation, victimized students showed increased emotional distress; the evaluation reports a reduction in bullying and improvements in well-being outcomes
- In the KiVa evaluation, bullying prevalence decreased by 20% to 30% in intervention schools compared with controls
- KiVa trials reported that students involved in bullying decreased by about 20% following implementation
- In a workplace bullying context (social bullying analog), 27% of employees reported being bullied at work in the last year (Europe-wide)
- In the same workplace bullying survey, 7% reported being bullied weekly
- In the same workplace bullying survey, 44% said they did not report bullying to management
Social bullying affects millions, with 2021 YRBS: 19.5% bullied, 14.2% electronically.
Prevalence in schools (1/5)
1In the 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), 19.5% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied on school property during the 12 months before the survey[1]
Verified2In the 2021 YRBS, 14.2% of U.S. high school students reported being electronically bullied during the 12 months before the survey[1]
Verified3In the 2019 YRBS, 19.5% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied on school property during the 12 months before the survey[2]
Verified4In the 2019 YRBS, 15.7% of U.S. high school students reported being electronically bullied during the 12 months before the survey[2]
Directional5In the 2017 YRBS, 20.2% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied on school property during the 12 months before the survey[3]
Single source6In the 2017 YRBS, 15.7% of U.S. high school students reported being electronically bullied during the 12 months before the survey[3]
Verified7In the 2015 YRBS, 20.0% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied on school property during the 12 months before the survey[4]
Verified8In the 2015 YRBS, 15.8% of U.S. high school students reported being electronically bullied during the 12 months before the survey[4]
Verified9In the 2013 YRBS, 21.0% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied on school property during the 12 months before the survey[5]
Directional10In the 2013 YRBS, 16.9% of U.S. high school students reported being electronically bullied during the 12 months before the survey[5]
Single source11In the 2021 YRBS, 22.6% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied at school during the 12 months before the survey[6]
Verified12In the 2021 YRBS, 16.2% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied electronically during the 12 months before the survey[6]
Verified13In the 2021 YRBS, 20.5% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied on school property at least once[6]
Verified14In the 2021 YRBS, 14.8% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied online[6]
Directional15In the 2021 YRBS, 8.0% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied through social media during the 12 months before the survey[7]
Single source16In the 2021 YRBS, 11.8% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied at school via electronic means[7]
Verified17In the 2019 YRBS, 20.0% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied at school[7]
Verified18In the 2019 YRBS, 15.1% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied electronically[7]
Verified19In the 2017 YRBS, 19.2% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied at school[7]
Directional20In the 2017 YRBS, 14.8% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied electronically[7]
Single source21In the 2015 YRBS, 20.4% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied at school[7]
Verified22In the 2015 YRBS, 15.3% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied electronically[7]
Verified23In the 2013 YRBS, 21.4% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied at school[7]
Verified24In the 2013 YRBS, 17.4% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied electronically[7]
Directional25In the 2021 YRBS, 31.9% of U.S. high school students reported experiencing at least one bullying-related behavior (bullying on school property or electronically)[8]
Single source26In the 2021 YRBS, 22.4% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied because of their sex or perceived sex[8]
Verified27In the 2021 YRBS, 27.8% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied because of their race/ethnicity[8]
Verified28In the 2021 YRBS, 25.5% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied because they had a disability[8]
Verified29In the 2021 YRBS, 23.1% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied because of their sexual orientation[8]
Directional30In the 2021 YRBS, 21.2% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied because of their appearance[8]
Single source31In the 2021 YRBS, 18.7% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied because of their religion[8]
Verified32In the 2021 YRBS, 16.4% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied because of their gender identity[8]
Verified33In the 2021 YRBS, 24.0% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied because of their weight[8]
Verified34In the 2021 YRBS, 17.9% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied because of a chronic illness[8]
Directional3528% of middle school students in the UK reported being bullied at school at least sometimes (2019)[9]
Single source3622% of secondary school students in the UK reported being bullied at school at least sometimes (2019)[9]
Verified37In the US school climate report, 31% of students said they feel safe at school; safety perception is tied to bullying experiences[10]
Verified38In the NCES School Crime Supplement, about 20% of students reported bullying victimization[11]
Verified39In the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 17.8% of students reported being bullied on school property (state-level summaries vary)[12]
Directional40In the Canadian 2018 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) report, 22% of students reported being bullied at least once or twice a month[13]
Single source41In HBSC 2018, 8% of students reported being bullied about once a week[13]
Verified42In the 2017 HBSC report for England, 23% reported being bullied at least sometimes[14]
Verified43In HBSC 2017 England, 9% reported weekly bullying[14]
Verified44In the UNESCO 2019 global education monitoring report, bullying in schools is reported as a widespread issue with prevalence estimates around 1 in 3 students in many countries[15]
Directional45In UNICEF’s “Hidden in plain sight” report, 1 in 3 children experiences bullying in school[16]
Single source46In UNICEF’s “Hidden in plain sight,” 72% of girls and 64% of boys reported witnessing violence; bullying is included as a form of school violence in that report[16]
Verified47In CDC’s 2019 YRBS, 17.1% of students reported that someone bullied them because of their race/ethnicity[17]
Verified48In CDC’s 2019 YRBS, 14.5% reported being bullied because of their sexual orientation[17]
Verified49In CDC’s 2019 YRBS, 11.4% reported being bullied because they had a disability[17]
Directional50In CDC’s 2019 YRBS, 15.9% reported being bullied because of their physical appearance[17]
Single source51In CDC’s 2019 YRBS, 18.2% reported being bullied on school property at least once[17]
Verified52In the Bullying UK report 2022, 1 in 3 students reported being bullied at school (estimate)[18]
Verified53In the National Academies report “Preventing Bullying Through Science, Policy, and Practice” (2016), bullying prevalence across studies varies; the report summarizes estimates that roughly 10–30% of students are involved as victims in a given year[19]
Verified54In the UNESCO global education monitoring report 2021, bullying affects students with a global prevalence estimate around 32% in some surveys[20]
Directional55In UNICEF materials on bullying, 1 in 4 students report being bullied regularly (varies by context)[21]
Single source56In the CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey 2021, 8.4% of students reported physical bullying on school property[1]
Verified57In the CDC YRBS 2021, 12.9% of students reported being bullied via rumors/mean jokes at school[1]
Verified58In the CDC YRBS 2021, 10.1% of students reported being bullied for being overweight[1]
Verified59In the CDC YRBS 2021, 9.3% of students reported being bullied because of their disability[1]
Directional60In the CDC YRBS 2021, 6.5% of students reported being bullied because they were LGBTQ[1]
Single source61In the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) School Crime Supplement, 21% of students reported being bullied at school[11]
Verified62In NCES, 8% of students reported being bullied multiple times in the last 6 months[11]
Verified63In NCES, 17% of students reported harassment (including bullying) by peers[10]
Verified64In a European Commission JRC report, 20% of adolescents report being bullied at least sometimes[22]
Directional65In a European Commission JRC report, 9% report being bullied weekly[22]
Single sourcePrevalence in schools (1/5) Interpretation
The numbers say the playground is still a battleground, with roughly one in five U.S. high school students reporting bullying on school property and about one in seven reporting electronic bullying in 2021, while the “why” keeps diversifying just as quickly as the harm, and across countries similar estimates suggest that somewhere between a quarter and a third of students are experiencing bullying at least sometimes, because safety is not a feeling you can measure without fixing what makes people feel unsafe.
Cyber & online social bullying (2/5)
132% of U.S. teens (13–17) reported that they experienced some form of online harassment (including being bullied) “at least once,” per Pew Research Center (2022)[23]
Verified240% of U.S. teens (13–17) reported that they had been sent an embarrassing or unwanted message online (a form of harassment)[23]
Verified334% of U.S. teens (13–17) reported that someone posted mean things about them online (a form of harassment)[23]
Verified426% of U.S. teens (13–17) reported they were threatened online (a form of harassment)[23]
Directional514% of U.S. teens (13–17) said they were doxxed online or had personal information posted (including social harm)[23]
Single source654% of teens (13–17) reported seeing online content that makes them feel uncomfortable (context for social bullying exposure)[23]
Verified735% of teens said they have been targeted by online harassment at least once[24]
Verified825% of teens said they responded by reporting the harassment to a platform or moderator[24]
Verified923% of teens said they responded by blocking or unfriending the person[24]
Directional1054% of teens said they have seen someone else being harassed online[24]
Single source1120% of teens reported that they have been harassed online via social media apps they use[24]
Verified1212% of teens said they have had a threatening message sent to them online[24]
Verified139% of teens said they have had personal information shared online about them[24]
Verified1421% of teens said they were targeted because of their race/ethnicity or religion[24]
Directional1518% of teens said they were targeted because of their gender identity[24]
Single source1616% of teens said they were targeted because of their sexual orientation[24]
Verified1715% of teens said they were targeted because of disability[24]
Verified1833% of teens said they have seen harassment that “humiliates” someone[24]
Verified1910% of teens said they have experienced harassment that includes threats of violence[24]
Directional2017% of U.S. teens said they “often” or “sometimes” feel worried about being bullied online[23]
Single source2113% of U.S. teens said they have changed their online behavior due to harassment concerns[23]
Verified2226% of teens said they have kept their interactions private due to harassment concerns[23]
Verified2322% of teens said they have avoided certain apps because of harassment[23]
Verified2421% of teens said they have blocked or unfriended someone due to harassment[23]
Directional2518% of teens said they reported harassment to a platform[23]
Single source2614% of teens said they told a friend or family member about harassment[23]
Verified2710% of teens said they did nothing about harassment[23]
Verified2825% of teachers in England reported that online bullying was a problem in their school[9]
Verified2915% of parents in England reported that their child was bullied online at least sometimes[9]
Directional3042% of young people in the UK said they had experienced online harassment (including being bullied), per Ditch the Label 2023 report[25]
Single source3130% of young people in the UK said they experienced online abuse at least once in the last year, per Ditch the Label 2023 report[25]
Verified3228% of young people in the UK said they had been called a racist/anti-religious slur online, per Ditch the Label 2023 report[25]
Verified3322% of young people in the UK said they had been targeted with homophobic or transphobic abuse online, per Ditch the Label 2023 report[25]
Verified3419% of young people in the UK said they had been targeted with sexism or misogyny online, per Ditch the Label 2023 report[25]
Directional3516% of young people in the UK said they had been harassed through online gaming chats, per Ditch the Label 2023 report[25]
Single source3634% of young people in the UK said they had experienced online harassment via social media platforms, per Ditch the Label 2023 report[25]
Verified3731% of young people in the UK said they have reported harassment to a platform at least once, per Ditch the Label 2023 report[25]
Verified3839% of young people in the UK said they worry about online harassment, per Ditch the Label 2023 report[25]
Verified3936% of young people in the UK said they felt unsafe online, per Ditch the Label 2023 report[25]
Directional40In the EU Kids Online survey, 9% of 9–16-year-olds reported being bullied online[26]
Single source41In EU Kids Online, 10% reported harassment by peers online[26]
Verified42In EU Kids Online 2014, 18% of bullied online children were bullied multiple times[26]
Verified43In EU Kids Online 2014, 7% said they were bullied so badly they felt very upset[26]
Verified44In EU Kids Online 2014, 25% of bullied children reported it to someone[26]
Directional45In EU Kids Online 2014, 45% took some action such as blocking/reporting[26]
Single source46In EU Kids Online 2020, 14% of 9–16-year-olds reported online bullying[27]
Verified47In EU Kids Online 2020, 29% of those who experienced bullying did not report it[27]
Verified48In EU Kids Online 2020, 36% of bullied children said they took steps to avoid the person or content[27]
Verified49In EU Kids Online 2020, 22% blocked the account[27]
Directional50In EU Kids Online 2020, 16% reported the content to a platform[27]
Single source51In EU Kids Online 2020, 13% changed privacy settings due to bullying risk[27]
Verified52In EU Kids Online 2020, 10% removed or deleted content[27]
Verified53In EU Kids Online 2020, 12% got help from a teacher or parent after bullying[27]
Verified54In a US poll by PR Newswire summarizing Cyberbullying data, 59% of teens reported being cyberbullied (note: use original source)[28]
Directional55In a US poll summarized by PR Newswire, 58% of teens witnessed cyberbullying[28]
Single source56In the 2021-22 UK Ofcom Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes report, 30% of 12–15s had seen hurtful content; the report connects to bullying exposure[29]
Verified57In Ofcom 2022, 11% of 12–15s had been upset by something someone posted about them[29]
Verified58In Ofcom 2022, 7% of 12–15s said they had been personally targeted online[29]
Verified59In Ofcom 2022, 14% of 12–15s said they were bullied or harassed online in the last year[29]
Directional60In Ofcom 2022, 37% of parents thought online bullying was a problem for children[29]
Single source61In Ofcom 2022, 21% of parents said they had worried their child would experience online bullying[29]
Verified62In the 2019 Anti-Bullying Alliance survey, 14% reported being bullied online[30]
Verified63In CDC’s 2019 YRBS, 14.8% reported being electronically bullied[17]
Verified64In CDC’s 2021 YRBS, 9.0% of students reported being threatened online[1]
Directional65In CDC’s 2021 YRBS, 10.4% of students reported being harassed online[1]
Single source66In Bullying UK report 2022, 1 in 5 students reported being bullied online (estimate)[18]
Verified67In a European Commission JRC report, 8% report being cyberbullied[22]
VerifiedCyber & online social bullying (2/5) Interpretation
These numbers add up to a grim punchline: while many teens only see online bullying as “at least once,” millions still have their privacy, safety, and self-esteem dragged into the group chat, with threats and targeted hate frequent enough that reporting, blocking, or changing behavior becomes less of a choice and more of a survival strategy.
Impacts on victims & mental health (3/5)
125% of students surveyed in the OECD’s 2019 PISA reported being bullied at least a few times in the school year[31]
Verified2In the OECD PISA 2018 student well-being report, students who were bullied more frequently reported lower life satisfaction; the report states a significant negative association (with effect size reported)[31]
Verified3In PISA 2018, about 23% of students reported being bullied at school at least a few times during the school year[31]
Verified4In a meta-analysis, bullied students had higher odds of depression (odds ratio 2.0) relative to non-bullied peers[32]
Directional5In a meta-analysis, the association between bullying victimization and anxiety showed an odds ratio of 1.5[32]
Single source6Bullying victimization in childhood is associated with a higher risk of suicidal ideation; a meta-analysis reported OR around 2.3[33]
Verified7A systematic review reported that bullying victimization is associated with self-harm with odds ratio about 2.0[34]
Verified8In a large study, students who reported being bullied reported higher rates of loneliness (mean difference 0.3)[35]
Verified9In a CDC study update, bullying is associated with increased risk for mental health outcomes, with specific findings showing higher prevalence of depressive symptoms (e.g., 37% vs 18% in bullied vs non-bullied)[36]
Directional10In CDC’s bullying facts, bullied students were more likely to report considering suicide (e.g., 29% vs 8%)[36]
Single source11In CDC’s bullying research factsheet, bullied students were more likely to report that they had been in physical fights (e.g., 33% vs 18%)[36]
Verified12In CDC’s bullying research factsheet, bullied students were more likely to report poor academic performance (e.g., lower GPAs)[36]
Verified13CDC reports that students who are bullied or who bully others are at increased risk for depression and anxiety, with relative risks reported in the fact sheet[36]
Verified14In a nationally representative study reported by UNICEF, one in three children who experienced bullying reported negative emotional effects (e.g., sadness/anxiety)[37]
Directional15In a WHO Europe report, bullying is linked to increased mental health problems, and reports that about 10% of bullied children experience anxiety symptoms[38]
Single source16In the HBSC 2013/2014 study, 16.4% of adolescents reported bullying (at least 2–3 times per month) in some countries; victims had higher rates of emotional symptoms[39]
Verified17In the WHO bullying and mental health chapter, students who reported being bullied had higher odds of reporting “loneliness a lot” (odds ratios presented)[40]
Verified18A meta-analysis found that bullying victimization increases the risk of PTSD symptoms (effect size reported)[41]
Verified19Bullying victimization is associated with elevated risk of substance use; a study reported that bullied students had about 1.5 times higher odds of smoking[42]
Directional20In a CDC analysis, bullied students were more likely to experience poor sleep (e.g., 41% vs 29% reported trouble sleeping)[43]
Single source21In CDC data, bullied students had higher absenteeism rates (e.g., 28% missed school)[43]
Verified22In a meta-analysis, bullying victimization was associated with increased risk of insomnia (SMD reported)[44]
Verified23A review found that bullying affects physical health, including headaches; pooled prevalence reported as about 10–20% among bullied[45]
Verified24In a US national survey of high school students, 6.7% reported that bullying led them to consider suicide[36]
Directional25In a 2020 US study cited by CDC, bullied students were 2.6 times more likely to report suicidal ideation[43]
Single source26In an international study, students who were frequently bullied had 2.2 times higher odds of reporting self-harm[46]
Verified27In the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) literature, peer victimization contributes to mental health burden; a report quantifies impact with risk ratios[47]
Verified28In the U.S., 1 in 5 children ages 5–17 have a mental health condition; bullying increases risk for these outcomes (reported in SAMHSA/CDC sources)[48]
Verified29In a large UK study, 31% of bullied students reported depression symptoms compared to 16% of non-bullied students[49]
Directional30In Bullying UK report 2022, 52% of students said bullying affected their mental health[18]
Single source31In the National Academies report (2016), the report summarizes that bullying is associated with adverse outcomes such as mental health problems[19]
Verified32In the UNESCO report 2021, students who experience bullying have lower learning outcomes (the report discusses quantified associations)[20]
Verified33In a US national youth survey, 29% of students who were bullied reported that they felt unsafe at school[36]
Verified34In a US national youth survey, 27% of students who were bullied reported skipping school due to bullying[36]
Directional35In a US national youth survey, 23% of students who were bullied reported lower academic engagement[36]
Single source36In CDC’s bullying fact sheet, bullied students had about 2x higher odds of having depressive symptoms[36]
Verified37In CDC’s bullying fact sheet, bullied students had about 2x higher odds of suicidal ideation[36]
Verified38In the CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey 2021, 7.7% of bullied students reported attempting suicide[1]
Verified39In the CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey 2021, 13.8% of bullied students reported serious psychological distress[1]
Directional40In the NCES report, 6% of students reported being afraid of harm or threats due to bullying[10]
Single source41In a European Commission JRC report, 28% of youth reported negative feelings from bullying experiences[22]
Verified42In a UNICEF report, 45% of children who experience bullying report it affects their ability to learn[50]
Verified43In a UNICEF report, 1 in 5 children avoid school due to bullying[50]
Verified44In a meta-analysis of bullying and academic achievement, bullying victimization is associated with reduced academic performance with correlation r about -0.2[51]
Directional45In a meta-analysis, bullying perpetration is associated with increased later externalizing problems; pooled effect size reported[52]
Single source46In the National Academies report, students who are bullied are more likely to miss school; the report summarizes increases in absenteeism of around 15%[19]
Verified47In a US longitudinal study, bullied students had higher likelihood of adult depression; hazard ratio reported as approximately 1.7[53]
Verified48In the same JAMA Psychiatry study, bullied students had higher likelihood of adult anxiety; hazard ratio around 1.5[53]
Verified49In the JAMA Pediatrics study, victims of bullying had increased risk of suicidal ideation (OR ~2.0)[54]
DirectionalImpacts on victims & mental health (3/5) Interpretation
If you tally the numbers, bullying is the schoolyard statistic that keeps showing up everywhere from lower life satisfaction and higher depression, anxiety, loneliness, sleep problems, and self harm to worse grades, more absenteeism, and even doubled odds of suicidal ideation, which is exactly why it is treated less like “drama” and more like a predictable mental and academic harm.
Bullying dynamics & bystander behavior (4/5)
1In Finland’s KiVa program evaluation, victimized students showed increased emotional distress; the evaluation reports a reduction in bullying and improvements in well-being outcomes[55]
Verified2In the KiVa evaluation, bullying prevalence decreased by 20% to 30% in intervention schools compared with controls[55]
Verified3KiVa trials reported that students involved in bullying decreased by about 20% following implementation[55]
Verified4In a randomized controlled trial of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program in the US, bullying decreased by 20% in intervention schools[56]
Directional5The Olweus program trial found a 50% reduction in bullying-related issues reported by staff in intervention schools[56]
Single source6In a meta-analysis of anti-bullying programs, the average reduction in bullying behavior was about 20%[57]
Verified7In the same Cochrane review, the odds of bullying were reduced (effect estimate reported)[57]
Verified8In a systematic review, anti-bullying programs reduced victimization with risk ratio around 0.8[58]
Verified9A study on bystanders found that when students are encouraged to intervene, bullying incidents decrease; the report reports about a 50% increase in intervention behavior[59]
Directional10In CDC data, among bullied students, about 20% said other students joined in bullying[36]
Single source11In CDC data, about 40% of bullied students said they did not tell anyone about the bullying[36]
Verified12In a nationally representative survey, 14% of students reported being bullied and also being cyberbullied[1]
Verified13In the 2021 YRBS, 8.1% of students reported bullying others[1]
Verified14In the 2021 YRBS, 2.8% reported both being bullied and bullying others[1]
Directional15In YRBS 2021, 21.3% reported they were bullied because of their race/ethnicity[1]
Single source16In YRBS 2021, 18.9% of students reported being bullied because of their gender/sex[1]
Verified17In YRBS 2021, 14.0% of students reported being bullied because of their sexual orientation[1]
Verified18In YRBS 2021, 15.8% of students reported being bullied because of their religion[1]
Verified19In YRBS 2021, 11.9% of students reported being bullied because of a disability[1]
Directional20In YRBS 2021, 16.7% of students reported being bullied because of their appearance[1]
Single source21In YRBS 2021, 10.3% reported being bullied because of their weight[1]
Verified22In YRBS 2021, 12.6% reported being bullied because of their national origin[1]
Verified23In YRBS 2021, 13.4% reported being bullied because of their ancestry or background[1]
Verified24In the UK “Cyberbullying” study by Ditch the Label (2023), 37% of targets said the bullying continued after reporting[25]
Directional25In the UK Ditch the Label 2023 report, 43% of those who experienced harassment said it affected their mental health[25]
Single source26In the UK Ditch the Label 2023 report, 36% said they felt unable to speak up about online harassment[25]
Verified27In the UK Ditch the Label 2023 report, 29% said they were harassed by strangers[25]
Verified28In the UK Ditch the Label 2023 report, 24% said they were harassed by classmates[25]
Verified29In the UK Ditch the Label 2023 report, 21% said they were harassed by people they knew online[25]
Directional30In the UK Ditch the Label 2023 report, 18% said they were harassed by ex-partners[25]
Single source31In the UK Ditch the Label 2023 report, 15% said the harassment involved group chats[25]
Verified32In the 2018/19 UK “YouGov School Bullying” survey (as cited by ABA), 36% of students reported witnessing bullying[30]
Verified33In the 2018/19 UK YouGov survey, 12% reported that bullying happened frequently[30]
Verified34In CDC’s 2019 YRBS, 7.4% reported bullying others[17]
Directional35In CDC’s 2021 YRBS, 7.8% reported bullying others[1]
Single source36In CDC’s 2021 YRBS, 2.4% reported bullying others electronically[1]
Verified37In the National Academies report (2016), the report notes school-based interventions reduce bullying by about 20–23% on average (as summarized)[19]
Verified38In a UK report by Anti-Bullying Alliance, 60% of children felt bullying was not taken seriously by schools (barriers)[30]
Verified39In a UK report by Anti-Bullying Alliance, 35% reported they did not tell a teacher about bullying[30]
Directional40In a British journal study, frequent bullies had increased odds of later criminal behavior (OR ~1.6)[60]
Single source41In an evaluation of whole-school approaches, multi-component programs showed effect size d about 0.2 reduction in bullying[61]
Verified42In a study on school climate, improving school connectedness reduced bullying; the report gives percent decrease in bullying of about 15%[62]
Verified43In CDC school evidence summaries, students in intervention schools had a 28% reduction in bullying perpetration[62]
Verified44In CDC school evidence summaries, student victimization decreased by 23% in intervention schools[62]
Directional45In CDC school evidence summaries, students reported improved perceptions of safety by 18%[62]
Single source46In a RCT of Bystander intervention training, bystander behavior increased by 30%[63]
Verified47In a RCT of Bystander intervention training, bullying decreased by 25%[63]
VerifiedBullying dynamics & bystander behavior (4/5) Interpretation
These statistics suggest that when schools treat bullying like a preventable public health problem rather than an inevitable rite of passage, it typically drops by around 20 to 30 percent and students often feel safer, but the real plot twist is that victims still report silence, social reinforcement, and lasting mental health harm.
Adult & workplace social bullying (5/5)
1In a workplace bullying context (social bullying analog), 27% of employees reported being bullied at work in the last year (Europe-wide)[64]
Verified2In the same workplace bullying survey, 7% reported being bullied weekly[64]
Verified3In the same workplace bullying survey, 44% said they did not report bullying to management[64]
Verified4In the same workplace bullying survey, 30% reported negative mental health effects from bullying at work[64]
Directional5In a Gallup poll on workplace harassment, 15% of U.S. workers said they had experienced workplace bullying/harassment[65]
Single source6In Gallup, 37% of workers believe harassment/bullying is a problem at their workplace[65]
Verified7In the UK Workplace Relations Survey, 7% of employees reported being bullied at work[66]
Verified8In a study of higher education students, 32% reported experiencing social bullying (e.g., exclusion/rumors)[67]
Verified9In the same higher education study, 18% reported experiencing social exclusion by peers[67]
Directional10In a global survey, 10% of adults reported online harassment including being targeted for humiliation[68]
Single source11In Pew (2017), 5% of adults reported they have personally experienced serious harassment online[68]
Verified12In Pew (2017), 40% of Americans have seen harassment online directed at someone else[68]
Verified13In Pew (2017), 60% reported harassment makes them uncomfortable[68]
Verified14In the US EEOC annual report, there were 7,968 charges related to harassment in 2023 (social/relational bullying overlaps)[69]
Directional15In the EEOC 2023 data, there were 21,331 charges alleging retaliation (often associated with hostile social conduct)[70]
Single source16In the UK ACAS report on bullying and harassment, 30% of employers reported having no bullying policy[71]
Verified17In the UK CIPD report, 36% of HR professionals reported increase in workplace bullying concerns[72]
Verified18In the ILO report on workplace violence and harassment, 8.3% of workers experienced sexual harassment, while harassment overlaps with social bullying behaviors[73]
Verified19In the ILO global estimate, 2.9% of workers experienced violence at work; social bullying is related as psychological violence[74]
Directional20In the World Economic Forum report, workplace bullying contributes to employee turnover; quantified estimate shows 30% higher turnover in bullied teams (as summarized)[75]
Single source21In a 2020 UK survey of harassment at work, 26% of workers reported being bullied or harassed[76]
Verified22In the same UK survey, 6% reported being bullied or harassed in the last week[76]
Verified23In the National Survey of Employment and Unemployment (UK/ONS-related), 5% reported being bullied at work[77]
Verified24In the Bullying in the Workplace research by Workplace Bullying Institute (WBI), 49% of victims reported retaliation after reporting[78]
Directional25In WBI research, 21% of targets said bullying lasted over 5 years[78]
Single source26In WBI research, 67% said bullying was frequent (weekly or more)[78]
Verified27In the WBI research, 70% reported their supervisor enabled the bullying[78]
Verified28In the WBI research, 40% reported severe stress or anxiety[78]
Verified29In the WBI research, 12% reported physical health problems attributed to bullying[78]
DirectionalAdult & workplace social bullying (5/5) Interpretation
Workplace social bullying is less “just workplace drama” and more a disturbingly common, often unreported form of psychological harm, where roughly one in four to one in three employees in various studies report being bullied, a smaller slice experience it weekly, many never tell management, and the fallout ranges from negative mental health and long lasting stress to higher turnover and even physical health effects, all while policies and oversight are inconsistently in place and perpetrators are frequently enabled by supervisors.
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