Did you know? Teenagers experiencing violence at higher rate over the last 10 years

More teenagers are being threatened with a weapon at school and at some point did not go to school because of safety concerns, newly published data by the Centers for Disease Control says.

Female and LGBTQ+ students experienced more violence, signs of poor health and suicidal thoughts than their male and cisgender peers, the CDC reported.

The CDC published data from its 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Data survey earlier this month. The data shows that 9% of students were threatened with a weapon at school compared to 7% 10 years ago and 6% in 2017.

The data showed that 13% of teenage students did not go to school because of safety concerns, up 6% from 10 years ago and up 4% from two years ago. That number is worse for teenage girls, at 16%.

The study showed that 9% of teenage students were at some point in their lives forced to have sex, and 11% said they have experienced sexual violence.

Twenty-five percent of high school students who identify as being on the LGBTQ+ spectrum and 21% of all girls reported being bullied within the last year.

John Cooley, the director of services at Southeast Behavioral Hospital, said trauma such as violence and bullying, often leads to mental health problems such as depression and anxiety.