Bullying In America

Introduction
Bullying has existed for as long as anyone can remember. It is a common theme in stories about childhood and youth, depicted by writers such as 19th century author Charles Dickens in his novel Oliver Twist, and 20th century Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. Bullying has been present in the United States forever. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 21% of students ages 12-18 have experienced bullying. The bullying crisis has had an impact on the United States socially, economically, and politically throughout history.
Background
“Between one and four, and one and three US students say they have been bullied at school” (“Effects of Bullying” 1). Bullying is defined as an undesired, aggressive behavior …show more content…
Children who are bullied in their school are less likely to want to attend school. According to statistics stated by ABC News, 160,000 children stay home everyday because of bullying. Children who are bullied are more likely to suffer from mental illnesses, such as depression and anxiety. Psychologist Guy Winch explained to TIME Magazine that, in fact, emotional trauma might actually be just as harmful as physical injuries. He explained that the results of a study which used brain image scans revealed that people who have been disowned and or rejected have the same areas of the brain activated as those who are experiencing physical pain. Saying, "The intensity of the emotional pain bullying elicits, and the fact that other people underestimate how much hurt they feel makes being bullied an incredibly traumatic experience that can leave significant emotional scars," (Castillo 15). Therefore, it is not surprising that the Center for Disease control revealed in 2014 that “Students who bully others, are bullied, or witness bullying are more likely to report high levels of suicide-related behavior” (“Bullying Statistics” …show more content…
According to stopbullying.gov, an official website of the United States government, bullies are more prone to abuse alcohol and drugs in their youth and adulthood, get into fights, vandalize property, dropout of school, and be abusive toward their romantic partners or children as adults. Children who witness bullying are more likely to have an increased use of tobacco, alcohol, or other drugs. They may encounter an increase in mental health problems, and may often miss or skip school.
Financially, the United States has spent millions of dollars to fight the bullying crisis. In the administration's 2012 fiscal budget, Obama designated $132 million dollars to fight violence and the bullying of children. On top of this, public schools lose money every year as a result of lower attendance and various types of disciplinary actions. Bullying not only affects taxpayers economically but also those individuals who are affected by this crisis. Researchers in a study explained

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