School-Related Violence

Violence against children is a global problem. It includes physical violence, psychological violence such as insults and humiliation, discrimination, neglect and maltreatment. It has short- and long-term repercussions that are often grave and damaging for children (Pinheiro 2006). Bullying, gender-based violence, accidental violence, discrimination and violence, sexual assault or harassment, physical violence and psychological violence, describe some of the most prevalent forms of school-based violence (South African Human Rights Commission 2006). The evidence base on school-related violence must be improved to inform policies (Antonowicz 2010). To assess the evidence that does exist, this helpdesk report presents a non-systematic review of the evidence on school-related violence. It is based on the evidence found through a rapid internet search and through consultation with experts in this field. The report is broken down into four sections: reducing and preventing school-related violence; safe, inclusive and violence-free schools; cyber bullying; and school-related gender-based violence. It is recognised that the topic of school-related violence is complex and multifaceted. While this report aims to offer a useful synthesis of the evidence available, as well as relevant case studies and policy recommendations, it only scratches the surface of a very large and pressing global problem.