Children who are bullied are more likely to carry a weapon, first UK study finds

The study, conducted with the University of Bristol and published today by the Youth Endowment Foundation (YEF), is the first in the UK to identify a link between childhood bullying and later weapon carrying.

An estimated 1.5 million 10 to 15-year-olds in England experience bullying each year. The findings suggest the effects of bullying can extend well beyond childhood.

While children who were bullied were more likely to carry a weapon later in adolescence, researchers found no evidence that they were more likely to commit violence (as measured through self-reported behaviour at age 17-18 and police-recorded crime, up to age 24).

However, children who bullied others were more than twice as likely to carry a weapon by age 15, twice as likely to report violent behaviour during adolescence, and around one and a half times more likely to have a police record for a violent offence.

Iain Brennan, Professor of Criminology and a knife crime expert at the University of Hull, said: "Young people who carry weapons often do so because they do not feel safe. Whether bullied or bullying, carrying a weapon increases vulnerability to further violence which is often unplanned and unpredicted, as well as school suspension or exclusion and involvement with the criminal justice system.

“By tackling bullying effectively and early, we have an opportunity to reduce harm and improve life chances.”

Previous YEF research found that 47% of 13 to 17-year-olds who carried a weapon did so for protection. Yet children who carry weapons are 12 times more likely to become victims of serious violence themselves further research has shown.

The study also found:

• Children involved in physical bullying, such as hitting or beating up peers, were nearly three times more likely to report violent behaviour and more than twice as likely to have a police record for a violent offence.
• Children who bullied others at ages eight, 10 and 12 were almost three times more likely to have a police record for violence than those who had never bullied others.
• Bullying behaviour at age eight showed a stronger association with later violence than bullying at age 12.

Researchers analysed data from nearly 15,000 children followed from birth through the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, linking survey responses with education and police records. The study examined bullying at school and on journeys to and from school, including threats, blackmail, name-calling, rumours and physical attacks.

The children in the study grew up in and around Bristol during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Researchers note that the findings may not fully reflect children's experiences today, particularly given the rise of cyberbullying and social media. The study also included relatively few participants from ethnic minority backgrounds, limiting analysis by ethnicity.

Professor Brennan said: “This research draws on the experience of those growing up in the 90s and mid-2000s, but the nature of bullying has changed a lot in the two decades since. With near-constant communication via social media, what was largely limited to the school grounds is now harder to escape, can be longer-lasting and more difficult for parents and teachers to detect.

"Whilst we do not yet know what the long-term impact of these changes will be for our children, constant access to the internet makes bullying arguably more persistent and pervasive, with potential implications for the safety of children and others in their homes and their communities, as well as at school."

The findings highlight the importance of identifying and supporting children involved in bullying at an early stage, particularly those who repeatedly bully others. YEF recommends schools adopt evidence-based anti-bullying approaches, including staff training, pupil engagement and whole-school strategies to prevent and address bullying.

Jeremy Miles, CEO of the Youth Endowment Foundation, said: "Bullying is an important early sign that a child needs support. This research reinforces why identifying and responding to it early matters — not only to improve outcomes for children who bully others, but also to reduce the risk of children who are being bullied experiencing more serious harm later on."

The association between bullying and weapon carrying remained even after researchers accounted for family circumstances, behavioural difficulties and levels of hardship. However, the study identifies associations rather than direct cause and effect.

The full report, Association between bullying victimisation, perpetration, and violent crime, is available to download here.