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Maine's Best practices in Bullying and Harassment prevention Information

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• Data

What the Data Tells Us:

Bullying and Harassment is real in Maine. Based on the 2009 Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey, here is what we learned from our students:

Middle School Students reported:

47.6 percent reported being bullied on school property
39.0 percent reported being bullied away from school
24.95 percent reported that they would be perceived as “cool” for defending another students, who was being verbally abused

High school students reported the following:

23.4 percent were bullied on school property
17.8 percent were bullied away from school
20.0 percent were bullied electronically
12.3 percent reported being targeted with offensive comments related to race or ethnicity
19.4 percent reported being targeted with offensive sexual comments 
9.8 percent reported being targeted with offensive comments related to “real or perceived” sexual- orientation
10.5 percent reported being targeted with comments or attacks at school or away due to masculinity or femininity

Suicidality:

Middle School Students reported the following:

19.5% reported ever considering suicide
13.8% reported ever planning suicide
9% reported ever attempting suicide
High school students reported the following:
13.8% reported considering suicide in past 12 months
11.8% reported planning suicide in past 12 months
9% reported attempting suicide in past 12 months

Bullying and Substance Use, 7th & 8th Grade, Maine (Past Month Alcohol Use)
Among 7th/8th grade students who have been bullied at school in the past 12 months, 14.7% have drunk alcohol in the past 30 days, compared with 9.6% of students who were not bullied at school. Seventh and eighth grade students who have been bullied at school in the past year are 54% more likely to have drink alcohol in the past 30 days.

Among 7th/8th grade students who have been bullied away from school in the past 12 months, 18.9% have drunk alcohol in the past 30 days, compared with 9.3% of students who were not bullied. Seventh and eighth grade students who have been bullied away from school in the past year are twice as likely to have drink alcohol in the past 30 days.

Among 7th/8th grade students who do not feel safe at their school, 31.3% have drunk alcohol in the past 30 days, compared with 9.0% of students who do feel safe at their schools. Seventh and eighth grade students who do not feel safe at their schools are 3.5 times as likely to have drink alcohol in the past 30 days.

Below are links to the full 2009 Middle and High School MIYHS reports.

 

 2009 7th & 8th Grade Report

 

 

2009 High School Report

 

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