Bullying, which is another way to say child-on-child abuse, is a form of abuse, whether the perpetrator is a child or an adult. And when your child is the victim, it doesn’t matter who did it, you just want it to stop! As parents ourselves, we completely understand. It’s heartbreaking to know that your loved ones are at the mercy of a violent and uncaring bully. And here in Michigan it certainly seems to happen a lot – a fact that can be supported by recent data provided by the National Center for Education Statistics’ (NCES) 2018 edition of the Indicators of School Crime and Safety.
Apparently Michigan has a serious problem with bullying in schools!
New data is showing that school child-on-child abuse is a major problem for Michigan’s kids. You only have to look at these stats to realize how widespread the problem is (this data is from 2017, published in 2018):
- 22.8 percent of Michigan high school students were bullied on school property
- 19.6 percent of Michigan high school students were the victims of cyberbullying
- 7.9 percent of Michigan high school students had been in a fight on school property
- 6.5 percent of Michigan high school students were threatened by, or injured with a weapon on school property
- 8.2 percent of Michigan high school students intentionally missed school for fear of being bullied
- 21.3 percent of Michigan high school students seriously considered suicide as a result of being bullied
- 9.4 percent of Michigan high school students actually attempted suicide
Why do some children abuse and bully other students at school?
There are many reasons why a child might be abusive, violent or cruel to another child. In some cases, they are acting out of a deep sense of personal insecurity. In other cases, it may stem from jealousy or even peer pressure. The bully may also be subject to violence or some other form of abuse at home and is acting out the behaviors they are subject to in their own life. Understanding why it happens doesn’t excuse it or make it okay, but it’s important to realize that school bullies are unhappy children who are making very poor choices, and may need help.
What can you do when the child abusing others is your child?
Discovering that your child is harming others can be a devastating thing for a parent to process. The shame and guilt and fear can be crippling. But beyond that, there are the other possible consequences. Police may get involved if the bullying turns violent. CPS may get involved if someone suspects that your child is acting out based on the abuse they’ve suffered. And when that happens you’re going to need help from a skilled defense attorney with a long history of successfully navigating child abuse defense, CPS defense, criminal investigations, and representing minor clients. So call 866 766 5245 today and talk to one of our skilled attorneys. We’re on call 24/7 to help you and your family work through this difficult time.