Results of the Greater Cincinnati analysis found that more than 38 percent of students were involved in school violent victimization, defined as ranging from verbal intimidation to threatening with and using a weapon.The study found that school violent victimization was associated with increased odds of recent alcohol use and heavy drinking among males and females and across 7th-12th grades. King and Vidourek say the analysis also found that males, non-whites and junior high school students were more likely to be victimized by bullying.
King adds that junior high and high school students were one-and-a-half times more likely to have abused alcohol if they had been bullied. "The overall effect of victimization and alcohol use did not differ based on sex, age or race. It has an overall impact on their drinking rates and level of intoxication across all categories," says King.