Bullying causes negative consequences for those who are bullied, those who bully, those who witness bullying, and the community as a whole.

Consequences for those who are bullied:

• Fear of being bullied may keep as many as 160,000 students out of school on any given day (Pollack, 1998)
• Children who are bullied may develop lower self-esteem, higher rates of depression and anxiety, and may experience more suicidal thoughts than peers who are not bullied (Olweus, 1993)
• Being bullied can lead to health problems such as headaches and sleep problems (World Health Org., 2005; Fekkes, et. al., 2003

Consequences for those who bully:

• “Bullies” are four times more likely to have multiple criminal convictions as adults (Olweus, 1993)
• Children who bully smoke, drink alcohol, carry a weapon, steal, vandalize, and get into fights more than their non-bullying peers (Nansel, et. al., 2003; Stop Bullying Now!, HRSA)

Consequences for those who witness bullying:

• Feelings of guilt and fear
• A sense of powerlessness
• Diminished empathy (Olweus, 2001)

Consequences for the community:

• Crime
• Money spent on dealing with criminals and the destruction they cause
• Money spent to help victims
• Deteriorating sense of community safety, freedom, enjoyment, and respect for one another