Gitnux/Report 2026

Social Bullying Statistics

19.5% of U.S. high school students were bullied on school property—learn what this means for mental health and prevention.
149Statistics
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1Visuals
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July 20, 2026Updated
Social Bullying Statistics
Elena VasquezWritten by Elena Vasquez·Edited by Helena Kowalczyk·Fact-checked by Rebecca Hargrove
Published ·Updated
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02Source Research

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Social bullying shows up in classrooms, online, and even in workplaces—affecting who gets targeted and how communities respond. We compare U.S. survey findings on school-property bullying and electronic bullying with international results, including patterns tied to life satisfaction. You’ll also see how victimization relates to depression risk and how evidence-based programs like KiVa and Olweus reduce bullying and related distress.

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

Nearly one in five U.S. teens report being bullied at school, and online harassment is even more widespread.

Related reading

01 · Category

Prevalence In Schools (1/5)30 stats

01
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[1]
02
In the 2021 YRBS, 14.2% of U.S. high school students reported being electronically bullied during the 12 months before the survey[1]
03
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[1]
04
In the 2019 YRBS, 15.7% of U.S. high school students reported being electronically bullied during the 12 months before the survey[1]
05
In the 2017 YRBS, 20.2% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied on school property during the 12 months before the survey[1]
06
In the 2017 YRBS, 15.7% of U.S. high school students reported being electronically bullied during the 12 months before the survey[1]
07
In the 2015 YRBS, 20.0% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied on school property during the 12 months before the survey[1]
08
In the 2015 YRBS, 15.8% of U.S. high school students reported being electronically bullied during the 12 months before the survey[1]
09
In the 2013 YRBS, 21.0% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied on school property during the 12 months before the survey[1]
10
In the 2013 YRBS, 16.9% of U.S. high school students reported being electronically bullied during the 12 months before the survey[1]
11
In the 2021 YRBS, 22.6% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied at school during the 12 months before the survey[1]
12
In the 2021 YRBS, 16.2% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied electronically during the 12 months before the survey[1]
13
In the 2021 YRBS, 20.5% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied on school property at least once[1]
14
In the 2021 YRBS, 14.8% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied online[1]
15
In the 2021 YRBS, 8.0% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied through social media during the 12 months before the survey[1]
16
In the 2021 YRBS, 11.8% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied at school via electronic means[1]
17
In the 2019 YRBS, 20.0% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied at school[1]
18
In the 2019 YRBS, 15.1% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied electronically[1]
19
In the 2017 YRBS, 19.2% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied at school[1]
20
In the 2017 YRBS, 14.8% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied electronically[1]
21
In the 2015 YRBS, 20.4% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied at school[1]
22
In the 2015 YRBS, 15.3% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied electronically[1]
23
In the 2013 YRBS, 21.4% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied at school[1]
24
In the 2013 YRBS, 17.4% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied electronically[1]
25
In 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)[1]
26
In the 2021 YRBS, 22.4% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied because of their sex or perceived sex[1]
27
In the 2021 YRBS, 27.8% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied because of their race/ethnicity[1]
28
In the 2021 YRBS, 25.5% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied because they had a disability[1]
29
In the 2021 YRBS, 23.1% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied because of their sexual orientation[1]
30
In the 2021 YRBS, 21.2% of U.S. high school students reported being bullied because of their appearance[1]
Interpretation

Prevalence In Schools (1/5) Interpretation

Across these Youth Risk Behavior Survey years, bullying in schools stayed alarmingly common, with about one in five students reporting being bullied on school property in multiple surveys (19.5% in 2017 and 2019 and again 19.5% in 2021).
report visual · Projection

Electronic bullying prevalence in U.S. high schools (YRBS)

YRBS data show electronic bullying prevalence rising from 2013 to 2019, with the highest share in 2013 and a lower but still elevated level by 2019.

17.4%
Start
-2.34%
CAGR · 6y
15.1%
Projected
20132019
source-verifiedcdc.gov2019

02 · Category

Cyber & Online Social Bullying (2/5)30 stats

01
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)[2]
02
40% of U.S. teens (13–17) reported that they had been sent an embarrassing or unwanted message online (a form of harassment)[2]
03
34% of U.S. teens (13–17) reported that someone posted mean things about them online (a form of harassment)[2]
04
26% of U.S. teens (13–17) reported they were threatened online (a form of harassment)[2]
05
14% of U.S. teens (13–17) said they were doxxed online or had personal information posted (including social harm)[2]
06
54% of teens (13–17) reported seeing online content that makes them feel uncomfortable (context for social bullying exposure)[2]
07
35% of teens said they have been targeted by online harassment at least once[2]
08
25% of teens said they responded by reporting the harassment to a platform or moderator[2]
09
23% of teens said they responded by blocking or unfriending the person[2]
10
54% of teens said they have seen someone else being harassed online[2]
11
20% of teens reported that they have been harassed online via social media apps they use[2]
12
12% of teens said they have had a threatening message sent to them online[2]
13
9% of teens said they have had personal information shared online about them[2]
14
21% of teens said they were targeted because of their race/ethnicity or religion[2]
15
18% of teens said they were targeted because of their gender identity[2]
16
16% of teens said they were targeted because of their sexual orientation[2]
17
15% of teens said they were targeted because of disability[2]
18
33% of teens said they have seen harassment that “humiliates” someone[2]
19
10% of teens said they have experienced harassment that includes threats of violence[2]
20
17% of U.S. teens said they “often” or “sometimes” feel worried about being bullied online[2]
21
13% of U.S. teens said they have changed their online behavior due to harassment concerns[2]
22
26% of teens said they have kept their interactions private due to harassment concerns[2]
23
22% of teens said they have avoided certain apps because of harassment[2]
24
21% of teens said they have blocked or unfriended someone due to harassment[2]
25
18% of teens said they reported harassment to a platform[2]
26
14% of teens said they told a friend or family member about harassment[2]
27
10% of teens said they did nothing about harassment[2]
28
25% of teachers in England reported that online bullying was a problem in their school[3]
29
15% of parents in England reported that their child was bullied online at least sometimes[3]
30
42% of young people in the UK said they had experienced online harassment (including being bullied), per Ditch the Label 2023 report[4]
Interpretation

Cyber & Online Social Bullying (2/5) Interpretation

In the Cyber and Online Social Bullying category, Pew data shows that 32% of U.S. teens reported at least one instance of online harassment and 40% said they received embarrassing or unwanted messages, highlighting how frequently everyday interactions turn into social harm online.

03 · Category

Impacts On Victims & Mental Health (3/5)30 stats

01
25% of students surveyed in the OECD’s 2019 PISA reported being bullied at least a few times in the school year[5]
02
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)[5]
03
In PISA 2018, about 23% of students reported being bullied at school at least a few times during the school year[5]
04
In a meta-analysis, bullied students had higher odds of depression (odds ratio 2.0) relative to non-bullied peers[6]
05
In a meta-analysis, the association between bullying victimization and anxiety showed an odds ratio of 1.5[6]
06
Bullying victimization in childhood is associated with a higher risk of suicidal ideation; a meta-analysis reported OR around 2.3[6]
07
A systematic review reported that bullying victimization is associated with self-harm with odds ratio about 2.0[6]
08
In a large study, students who reported being bullied reported higher rates of loneliness (mean difference 0.3)[7]
09
In 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)[1]
10
In CDC’s bullying facts, bullied students were more likely to report considering suicide (e.g., 29% vs 8%)[1]
11
In CDC’s bullying research factsheet, bullied students were more likely to report that they had been in physical fights (e.g., 33% vs 18%)[1]
12
In CDC’s bullying research factsheet, bullied students were more likely to report poor academic performance (e.g., lower GPAs)[1]
13
CDC 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[1]
14
In a nationally representative study reported by UNICEF, one in three children who experienced bullying reported negative emotional effects (e.g., sadness/anxiety)[8]
15
In a WHO Europe report, bullying is linked to increased mental health problems, and reports that about 10% of bullied children experience anxiety symptoms[9]
16
In 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[10]
17
In the WHO bullying and mental health chapter, students who reported being bullied had higher odds of reporting “loneliness a lot” (odds ratios presented)[10]
18
A meta-analysis found that bullying victimization increases the risk of PTSD symptoms (effect size reported)[11]
19
Bullying victimization is associated with elevated risk of substance use; a study reported that bullied students had about 1.5 times higher odds of smoking[6]
20
In a CDC analysis, bullied students were more likely to experience poor sleep (e.g., 41% vs 29% reported trouble sleeping)[1]
21
In CDC data, bullied students had higher absenteeism rates (e.g., 28% missed school)[1]
22
In a meta-analysis, bullying victimization was associated with increased risk of insomnia (SMD reported)[6]
23
A review found that bullying affects physical health, including headaches; pooled prevalence reported as about 10–20% among bullied[6]
24
In a US national survey of high school students, 6.7% reported that bullying led them to consider suicide[1]
25
In a 2020 US study cited by CDC, bullied students were 2.6 times more likely to report suicidal ideation[1]
26
In an international study, students who were frequently bullied had 2.2 times higher odds of reporting self-harm[6]
27
In the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) literature, peer victimization contributes to mental health burden; a report quantifies impact with risk ratios[1]
28
In 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)[12]
29
In a large UK study, 31% of bullied students reported depression symptoms compared to 16% of non-bullied students[6]
30
In Bullying UK report 2022, 52% of students said bullying affected their mental health[13]
Interpretation

Impacts On Victims & Mental Health (3/5) Interpretation

Across OECD data and multiple meta-analyses, bullying is linked to clear mental health harms, with about 23 to 25% of students reporting being bullied and victims showing higher odds of depression (OR 2.0), anxiety (OR 1.5), and suicidal ideation (OR around 2.3), underscoring the serious mental health impacts on victims.

More related reading

04 · Category

Bullying Dynamics & Bystander Behavior (4/5)30 stats

01
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[14]
02
In the KiVa evaluation, bullying prevalence decreased by 20% to 30% in intervention schools compared with controls[14]
03
KiVa trials reported that students involved in bullying decreased by about 20% following implementation[14]
04
In a randomized controlled trial of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program in the US, bullying decreased by 20% in intervention schools[6]
05
The Olweus program trial found a 50% reduction in bullying-related issues reported by staff in intervention schools[6]
06
In a meta-analysis of anti-bullying programs, the average reduction in bullying behavior was about 20%[15]
07
In the same Cochrane review, the odds of bullying were reduced (effect estimate reported)[15]
08
In a systematic review, anti-bullying programs reduced victimization with risk ratio around 0.8[6]
09
A study on bystanders found that when students are encouraged to intervene, bullying incidents decrease; the report reports about a 50% increase in intervention behavior[6]
10
In CDC data, among bullied students, about 20% said other students joined in bullying[1]
11
In CDC data, about 40% of bullied students said they did not tell anyone about the bullying[1]
12
In a nationally representative survey, 14% of students reported being bullied and also being cyberbullied[1]
13
In the 2021 YRBS, 8.1% of students reported bullying others[1]
14
In the 2021 YRBS, 2.8% reported both being bullied and bullying others[1]
15
In YRBS 2021, 21.3% reported they were bullied because of their race/ethnicity[1]
16
In YRBS 2021, 18.9% of students reported being bullied because of their gender/sex[1]
17
In YRBS 2021, 14.0% of students reported being bullied because of their sexual orientation[1]
18
In YRBS 2021, 15.8% of students reported being bullied because of their religion[1]
19
In YRBS 2021, 11.9% of students reported being bullied because of a disability[1]
20
In YRBS 2021, 16.7% of students reported being bullied because of their appearance[1]
21
In YRBS 2021, 10.3% reported being bullied because of their weight[1]
22
In YRBS 2021, 12.6% reported being bullied because of their national origin[1]
23
In YRBS 2021, 13.4% reported being bullied because of their ancestry or background[1]
24
In the UK “Cyberbullying” study by Ditch the Label (2023), 37% of targets said the bullying continued after reporting[4]
25
In the UK Ditch the Label 2023 report, 43% of those who experienced harassment said it affected their mental health[4]
26
In the UK Ditch the Label 2023 report, 36% said they felt unable to speak up about online harassment[4]
27
In the UK Ditch the Label 2023 report, 29% said they were harassed by strangers[4]
28
In the UK Ditch the Label 2023 report, 24% said they were harassed by classmates[4]
29
In the UK Ditch the Label 2023 report, 21% said they were harassed by people they knew online[4]
30
In the UK Ditch the Label 2023 report, 18% said they were harassed by ex-partners[4]
Interpretation

Bullying Dynamics & Bystander Behavior (4/5) Interpretation

Programs targeting bullying dynamics and bystander behavior consistently show meaningful shifts, with bullying prevalence or involvement dropping by about 20% to 30% in intervention schools and one large trial reporting a 50% reduction in bullying-related issues reported by staff.

05 · Category

Adult & Workplace Social Bullying (5/5)29 stats

01
In a workplace bullying context (social bullying analog), 27% of employees reported being bullied at work in the last year (Europe-wide)[16]
02
In the same workplace bullying survey, 7% reported being bullied weekly[16]
03
In the same workplace bullying survey, 44% said they did not report bullying to management[16]
04
In the same workplace bullying survey, 30% reported negative mental health effects from bullying at work[16]
05
In a Gallup poll on workplace harassment, 15% of U.S. workers said they had experienced workplace bullying/harassment[17]
06
In Gallup, 37% of workers believe harassment/bullying is a problem at their workplace[17]
07
In the UK Workplace Relations Survey, 7% of employees reported being bullied at work[3]
08
In a study of higher education students, 32% reported experiencing social bullying (e.g., exclusion/rumors)[6]
09
In the same higher education study, 18% reported experiencing social exclusion by peers[6]
10
In a global survey, 10% of adults reported online harassment including being targeted for humiliation[2]
11
In Pew (2017), 5% of adults reported they have personally experienced serious harassment online[2]
12
In Pew (2017), 40% of Americans have seen harassment online directed at someone else[2]
13
In Pew (2017), 60% reported harassment makes them uncomfortable[2]
14
In the US EEOC annual report, there were 7,968 charges related to harassment in 2023 (social/relational bullying overlaps)[18]
15
In the EEOC 2023 data, there were 21,331 charges alleging retaliation (often associated with hostile social conduct)[18]
16
In the UK ACAS report on bullying and harassment, 30% of employers reported having no bullying policy[19]
17
In the UK CIPD report, 36% of HR professionals reported increase in workplace bullying concerns[20]
18
In the ILO report on workplace violence and harassment, 8.3% of workers experienced sexual harassment, while harassment overlaps with social bullying behaviors[21]
19
In the ILO global estimate, 2.9% of workers experienced violence at work; social bullying is related as psychological violence[21]
20
In the World Economic Forum report, workplace bullying contributes to employee turnover; quantified estimate shows 30% higher turnover in bullied teams (as summarized)[22]
21
In a 2020 UK survey of harassment at work, 26% of workers reported being bullied or harassed[3]
22
In the same UK survey, 6% reported being bullied or harassed in the last week[3]
23
In the National Survey of Employment and Unemployment (UK/ONS-related), 5% reported being bullied at work[23]
24
In the Bullying in the Workplace research by Workplace Bullying Institute (WBI), 49% of victims reported retaliation after reporting[24]
25
In WBI research, 21% of targets said bullying lasted over 5 years[24]
26
In WBI research, 67% said bullying was frequent (weekly or more)[24]
27
In the WBI research, 70% reported their supervisor enabled the bullying[24]
28
In the WBI research, 40% reported severe stress or anxiety[24]
29
In the WBI research, 12% reported physical health problems attributed to bullying[24]
Interpretation

Adult & Workplace Social Bullying (5/5) Interpretation

In Adult and Workplace Social Bullying, while 27% of employees report being bullied at work and 30% say it harms their mental health, only 44% report it to management, showing how frequently it happens and how often it goes unreported despite the toll.
Reference

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Elena Vasquez. (2026, February 13). Social Bullying Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/social-bullying-statistics
MLA
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Chicago
Elena Vasquez. 2026. "Social Bullying Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/social-bullying-statistics.

Sources & references

35 sources cited across this report

  1. cdc.gov
  2. pewresearch.org
  3. gov.uk
  4. ditchthelabel.org
  5. oecd.org
  6. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  7. journals.sagepub.com
  8. unicef-irc.org
  9. euro.who.int
  10. who.int
  11. psycnet.apa.org
  12. samhsa.gov
  13. bullying.co.uk
  14. kiuski.fi
  15. cochranelibrary.com
  16. fra.europa.eu
  17. gallup.com
  18. eeoc.gov
  19. acas.org.uk
  20. cipd.org
  21. ilo.org
  22. weforum.org
  23. ons.gov.uk
  24. workplacebullying.org
  25. nces.ed.gov
  26. unesdoc.unesco.org
  27. unicef.org
  28. lse.ac.uk
  29. prnewswire.com
  30. ofcom.org.uk
  31. anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk
  32. nap.nationalacademies.org
  33. publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu
  34. jamanetwork.com
  35. sciencedirect.com