October is National Bullying Prevention Month. The prevalence of bullying in California schools is staggering: In a recent survey, more than 1 in 4 students in 7th, 9th, and 11th grades said they'd been bullied or harassed at school in the previous year. More than 1 in 5 said they'd been cyberbullied by fellow students.
Bullying is a public health issue, with far-reaching implications. In addition to the risk of physical injury, victims of bullying are at risk for depression, anxiety, suicidal behavior, physical health problems, substance abuse into adulthood, low academic achievement, and poor social and school adjustment.