The Victims of Bullying

Abstract

Schools usually do not keep records of children who are victimized by bullies, and so victimization in schools may be more widespread than was previously thought. In fact, an estimated 160,000 children do not come to school each day because they are afraid of being victimized by bullies (Walker et al., 1995). The abuse of children by their peers is underestimated (Corsaro, 1997). Most commonly, peers abuse students verbally but both boys and girls may be assaulted physically and sexually as well. Girls may be victimized by children they hardly know or by boyfriends who they thought they trusted.