The Impact of Bullying Victimization on School Avoidance

An increasing body of research is examining the effects of bullying among adolescents in elementary, middle, and high school settings. Using data from the National Crime Victimization Survey: School Crime Supplement 2007, this study explores the impact of bullying victimization on school avoidance for 11,161 students between the ages of 12 and 18. More specifically, the authors investigate the likelihood of students avoiding locations in or around schools due to perceived or actual incidents of victimization. Results highlight the pervasiveness of peer aggression in schools and provide further encouragement for the development of prevention and intervention tactics to effectively mediate bully/victim issues.