In the Fox Cities area, 15.2 percent of high school students have experienced bullying online, according to 2019 data updated in the Fox Cities LIFE Study. The study is funded by United Way Fox Cities and the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region.

Data on cyberbullying is relatively new, within the past decade. Given the fact that cyberbullying can happen anywhere at any time, it is harder to monitor, but it’s common that victims of bullying may be targeted both at school and at home. Processes for reporting have developed at a slower pace than the increased use of social media, and our continued reliance on technology highlights a need for legal frameworks to address this issue.

According to updated data in the Fox Cities LIFE Study, 15.2 percent of high school students have been bullied online. By far the most commonly cyberbullied groups are high school students who identify as LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender): 30.4 percent, double the rate of students who identify as heterosexual, and those who identify as multiple race (22.6 percent, compared to 15.5 percent of white and 8.4 percent of Black/African American students).

The Fox Cities LIFE Study website is updated on an ongoing basis, when new data is available, which may or may not include the current COVID-19 time period. The 2019 information on cyberbullying is part of 45 new or updated charts within the Fox Cities LIFE Study’s categories of basic needs, health, and safety. Interactive charts are now available on the Fox Cities LIFE Study website, with a summary of the new information on the “What’s New” page.

July 2020 Safety Updates:

Three Indicator pages with eight new charts:

• Online Bullying
• Bullying at School
• Weapons at School

Note: Sources for the safety updates include Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS).

It is important to note there was a change in methodology in 2019 from paper survey to online survey for the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS). This change could impact the makeup of the groups responding to the survey. Restraint should be used when making comparisons between years.

About the Fox Cities LIFE Study:

The Leading Indicators for Excellence (LIFE) Study provides a data-focused overview of the quality of life in the Fox Cities area. The LIFE Study began in 2001 and offers a look at how our community is doing. It provides insights, trends and data to gauge the quality of life in health and human services issues in the Fox Cities. The data presented should be a catalyst for community conversation about how we all can bring about important change, improve the quality of life, and put effort to the greatest needs in our community. The study also is benchmarked against select counties, Wisconsin and the nation, with trending information.

The official research partner for the LIFE Study is The Polis Center of Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). They specialize in working with their partners to define, measure, and actively improve community health, well-being, and resiliency. The center is responsible for data collection, evaluation, and visualizing the data for this website.

What does a Community Foundation do? Glad you asked! Learn more here.