School violence victims increase 2.5 times in a decade
The number of victims of school violence in Brazil increased by 254 percent between 2013 and 2023, according to a survey published by Pesquisa Fapesp, the magazine of the São Paulo Research Foundation (Fapesp).
Data from the Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship, cited by the magazine, indicate that the number of school violence victims rose from 3,700 in 2013 to 13,100 in 2023.
The incidents involve students, teachers, and other of the school community. Among them were 2,200 cases of self-inflicted violence—including self-harm, self-punishment, and suicide—which increased 95-fold over the period analyzed.
According to the survey, the Ministry of Education identifies four types of violence affecting the school community: extreme aggression, involving premeditated and lethal attacks; interpersonal violence, characterized by hostility and discrimination among students and teachers; bullying, defined as repeated physical, verbal, or psychological intimidation; and institutional violence, which includes exclusionary practices by the school—such as the use of teaching materials that overlook racial and gender diversity.
The Ministry of Education also highlights issues in the areas surrounding schools, including drug trafficking, shootings, and robberies.
According to the research, factors contributing to the rise in school violence encom the devaluation of the teaching profession in public perception, the growing tolerance of hate speech, and the lack of preparedness within Education Departments to address conflicts related to racism and misogyny.
