A major survey, recently unveiled by the Minister of Education, indicates that 6% of middle school students and 4% of high school students have already been harassed in a school environment.
- A study, unveiled by Nicole Belloubet, indicates that 19% of young people must be subject to increased vigilance in the face of the risk of harassment.
- 5% of schoolchildren from CE2 to CM2, 6% of middle school students and 4% of high school students are victims of physical, verbal or psychological violence.
- “A student must not come to his school with fear in his stomach, but on the contrary with a smile on his lips,” according to the minister.
While the new Minister of National Education Nicole Belloubet was, for the first time, traveling to the Robert-Schuman college in Reims, on February 12, she revealed the worrying results of a major national investigation into school bullying, conducted in November 2023 among 7.5 million students from CE2 to final year. The latter revealed that 19% of primary school children are at risk. In detail, 5% of schoolchildren from CE2 to CM2, 6% of middle school students and 4% of high school students are considered victims of harassment. “It is a real scourge that we absolutely must regulate. A student must not come to his school with fear in his stomach, but on the contrary with a smile on his face,” declared the minister.
Taunts, insults, physical attacks: for 16% of young people, school bullying lasted more than a month
This study adds to the survey carried out by the victim assistance association Marion la main tende with 1,001 young people attending middle and high schools, 1,001 parents and 200 secondary school teachers. “The results show the extent of school bullying in our country: 1 in 5 young people are affected in schools. This is twice as many figures as we have been fighting against this problem for 10 years.” declared Nora Tirane Fraisse, founder of the association.
Clearly, 19% of middle and high school students have been victims of at least one form of physical, verbal or psychological violence, every day or several times a week. For 16% of students, it lasted more than a month. In 81% of cases, these violent situations involve a group of students. According to the data, bullying takes place mainly in the playground (94%) and corridors (83%), but also in the classroom (60%), in the canteen (60%) and during sports activities (58%). Violence can also continue on school trips (47%) and on social networks (44%).
The survey highlights that students with disabilities are particularly harassed (35%), as are young redheads (28%) or adolescents with dandruff (26%). The latter face mockery (91%), insults (89%), sidelining (86%), physical attacks (66%), false rumors (66%) and hurtful messages in online or by telephone (53%). “Shyness is also a major factor in bullying: it is the first reason given by bullied students (42%) and parents (31%) to explain the violence they have suffered.”
Stress, loss of confidence, isolation: bullied students feel psychological distress
In this same survey, the consequences of school bullying were highlighted. According to the results, 90% of harassed young people believe that the violence they suffered has had a negative impact on their well-being and 61% on their academic results. Firstly, victims reported losing self-confidence, being more stressed, isolated and sad. Then, they reported having trouble sleeping and feeling headaches or stomach aches at the thought of going to school. “Even more serious: 58% of those who are bullied have already thought about harming themselves because of their experience at school.”
