Seventy-five percent of adolescents have been bullied while attending school. Everyday more and more news stories are developing about issues that deal with bullying behavior and its consequences. Statistics show that one in seven children are subjected to bullying behavior and that it affects about five million elementary and junior high students. This in turn can have violent consequences that affect the victim being bullied and those who find the need to pick on those considered different. In order to understand what can lead to juvenile violence one must look at what is bullying, how it can lead to deadly attacks at school, and finally at indicators of violence that might occur. .
First, bullying behavior can take many forms. It can be physical, verbal, emotional, or sexual. Bullying can be defined as any form of verbal or physical abuse with the intent to harm or hurt. Another phrase often used to describe bullying is "picked on." In order for behavior to be considered bullying, the aggressor must be superior physically, psychologically or in some other way. An example would be if a student were not bigger or smarter than its target but was using a big brother or gang to give punishment, then that is bullying. .
Secondly, bullying behavior has played some role in all the school shootings that have occurred in the past two years. Victims of bullying behavior bear emotional scars that can lead to violence. The majority of time victims of bullying are disliked by peers and this can only add to the rage felt by the victim. Studies show children that are constantly being picked on by a bully and not accepted by peers are the ones more likely to fall over the edge into violence. That is why bullying behavior is said to be one of the major causes of violence in the school setting. Physical bullying is usually visual and easy to see. Whereas verbal and emotional bullying in the form of taunting, teasing or humiliation are often not seen and if seen sometimes ignores.
