Victimization
Bullying at school, dating violence, witnessing violence in the neighborhood — exposure to violence and threats shapes how young people learn, sleep, and relate. The patterns in San Diego show sharp disparities by sexual orientation, race, and gender, and the share of students skipping school because they feel unsafe is rising.
Key Findings
- Skipped school due to feeling unsafe rose from 6% in 2021 to 10% in 2023 in SDUSD; 15% among gay or lesbian students and “other” sexual orientation students.
- Bullying at school rebounded from 12% in 2021 to 17% in 2023; 30% among gay or lesbian students; 24% among the youngest students.
- Sexual teen dating violence rose from 10% in 2013 to 15% in 2023, even as the national rate fell to 6%. 28% of bisexual students reported it; 11% of heterosexual students.
- Witnessed neighborhood violence: 35% of Black students versus 21% of AANHPI students.
- Threatened with a weapon at school: 13% of gay or lesbian students, up from 8% in 2021; 6% overall.
- Physical fights at school: 16% of gay or lesbian students in 2023 (up from 9% in 2021); 7% overall.
Skipped School Due to Feeling Unsafe
When students don’t feel safe getting to or being at school, they miss school. SDUSD’s rate doubled — from 6% in 2021 to 10% in 2023.
Gay or lesbian students and students with sexual orientation “other” reported skipping school at 15%, compared to 10% on average.
Skipped school due to feeling unsafe, high-school students
Source: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBS), SDUSD.
Why are some points missing? Read the full report for context →
Bullying at School
Bullying victimization had been declining since 2015, but rebounded from 12% in 2021 to 17% in 2023. The youngest students (24%) and gay or lesbian students (30%) reported the highest rates. Girls experienced bullying at higher rates than boys (20% versus 14%).
Victim of bullying at school, high-school students
Source: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBS), SDUSD.
Why are some points missing? Read the full report for context →
Teen Dating Violence
Sexual teen dating violence rose from 10% in 2013 to 15% in 2023 in SDUSD, while the national average fell from the same baseline to 6%. The disparity by sex and sexual orientation is large.
Among racial groups, the gap had been narrowing — but White students saw a sharp increase from 12% in 2021 to 21% in 2023. Multiracial students (10%), bisexual students (~9%), and “other” sexual orientation students (~9%) reported physical teen dating violence at the highest rates.
Sexual teen dating violence, high-school students
Source: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBS), SDUSD.
Why are some points missing? Read the full report for context →
Physical teen dating violence, high-school students
Source: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBS), SDUSD.
Why are some points missing? Read the full report for context →
Witnessed Neighborhood Violence
Witnessing violence in the neighborhood breaks across racial lines. 35% of Black students reported witnessing it, compared to 21% of AANHPI students.
Witnessed neighborhood violence, high-school students
Source: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBS), SDUSD.
Why are some points missing? Read the full report for context →
Threatened or Injured with a Weapon at School
Around 6% of SDUSD students overall reported being threatened or injured with a weapon at school. Gay or lesbian students reported 13%, up from 8% in 2021.
Threatened with a weapon at school, high-school students
Source: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBS), SDUSD.
Why are some points missing? Read the full report for context →
Physical Fights at School
Gay or lesbian students were the group with the highest reported rates: 16% in 2023, up from 9% in 2021, while the average sat at 7%. By race, 12% of Black students reported being in a fight versus 3% of AANHPI students.
Physical fight at school, high-school students
Source: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBS), SDUSD.
Why are some points missing? Read the full report for context →
Juvenile Arrests by Jurisdiction
Juvenile arrest rates vary widely across San Diego County jurisdictions, from under 3 per 1,000 youth in La Mesa to nearly 17 per 1,000 in National City. These rates should be read with caution: small jurisdictions show natural year-to-year variability, and arrest counts reflect both youth behavior and policing patterns.
Juvenile arrests per 1,000 youth, by jurisdiction, 2023
Source: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program, 2023. Counts include arrests of youth under 18.
Why are some points missing? Read the full report for context →