Being Bullied Tops Parents’ Safety Concerns for Children
According to the New Hampshire Children’s Health Dashboard, being bullied at school ranks as one of the most pressing issues impacting children and families. A significant 20% of 9th-12th graders in the state reported experiencing bullying on school property in the past year.
Bullying constitutes an adverse childhood experience with profound and enduring effects on individuals’ well-being into adulthood. Defined as repeated intentional harm, bullying inflicts both physical and emotional pain.
Research indicates that being bullied in childhood correlates with adverse long-term health outcomes, including physical and mental health issues, increased likelihood of substance use, compromised safety, and impacts on pregnancy and birth outcomes. Moreover, the negative effects extend not only to the bullied individual but also to the child who bullies.
Delving Deeper
In addition to the Dashboard’s comprehensive data overview, the Foundation commissioned a professionally conducted qualitative assessment to gain deeper insights into both these conditions and its overall funding priorities, gathering input from parents, guardians, and experts. This recent assessment involved 22 key informant interviews with individuals across the state who have expertise in issues affecting children, and ten focus groups engaging 64 parents and guardians of children aged birth to 17.
The Primary Child Safety Concern
In addressing safety concerns highlighted by the Dashboard, parents and key informants identified bullying as the foremost worry. This concern is particularly acute among middle and high school students, and disproportionately affects children who are LGBTQIA+, children of color, and those with special needs. “Research indicates LGBTQ and BIPOC groups are at higher risk, especially beyond the age of eight,” noted a key informant from Grafton County.
A parent from Berlin recounted, “My children are bi-racial, and they are so bullied. My daughter is home-schooled now because she was harassed… One student called her an immigrant and told her we are building a wall, and she was going to get sent back to Mexico.”
Others described bullying tied to socioeconomic differences—what’s in a lunchbox, the brands on a backpack, or whether a child brings Gatorade or water. “Fashion is the thing and there is so much bullying around it,” said a Berlin focus group participant.
It Takes a Heavy Toll
The mental health consequences of bullying are stark. Across various regions, parents shared heartbreaking stories of children driven to suicide due to relentless bullying.
“I’ve just seen a lot about cases [of bullying] in which young kids are taking their own lives,” one focus group participant said. Others recalled children as young as 13 or 15 dying by suicide after enduring sustained harassment.
Instances of such tragedies spanned communities from Claremont to North Conway to Keene, underscoring the emotional toll.
Unsafe Spaces and the Failure to Intervene
Many families connected bullying with broader safety anxieties, including physical altercations, fear of school bus rides, and concerns over school-based violence. A parent from Concord shared, “There have been multiple incidents… while they want to go [to school], I also hear these secondhand stories about why they are afraid to ride the bus.”
Across all ten focus groups, parents expressed frustration with their schools’ responses. “Schools are not taking it seriously despite their no-tolerance policies,” said a Manchester-Nashua focus group participant. Some reported that their children were punished for standing up for themselves, while bullies faced no consequences.
Parents cited their perceived reasons for school inaction including staff shortages, fear among educators, and misplaced empathy towards bullies’ home situations. “Teachers tend to make excuses for the kids who are bullying,” one parent said. “Like, ‘oh, it’s their home situation,’ but then they get away with it.”
The Role of Adults and the Internet
Parents and key informants noted that children often mimic the adult aggression they see in various settings, including home, media, and politics. “What has happened in our political climate has opened the door for people to be cruel and aggressive,” said a key informant from Cheshire County.
In today’s digital age, bullying transcends school boundaries into online spaces, facilitated by smartphones and social media. “Bullying can happen anywhere, at school, online. Thanks to phones and social media, it is everywhere,” one Keene participant shared. Social media makes it harder to protect children and easier for bullying to follow them home.
Towards a More Supportive Future
Despite these challenges, families and experts remain optimistic about effecting change. Suggestions include fostering increased empathy in schools, stronger enforcement of anti-bullying policies, and enhancing support for educators. Many advocated for investments in mentorship programs and positive role models to empower young people.
“Kids need to be connected to mentors, role models, and positive influences because these are protective,” a Grafton County key informant noted.
What Can You Do?
Explore the New Hampshire Children’s Health Dashboard for detailed bullying data and actionable insights in the “Now What?” section of the Bullied at School page. Collaborative efforts across sectors offer promising avenues to enhance safety for children and families.
For more information on the Children’s Health Dashboard, contact Alisa Druzba, Director of Research and Community Impact, at ad@nhchildrenshealthfoundation.org.