5 Effective Ways To Stop School Violence

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It is not uncommon for parents to have safety-related concerns for their school-going children. Also, with the growing reports of children being subjected to inhuman acts at school, it is paramount to implement effective ways to stop school violence. If you notice any significant changes in your child’s emotional or physical aspects, you must talk to them to ensure they are in safe environments at school. Continue to read this post if you want to understand the types, causes, warning signs, and possible ways to deal with violence in schools.

What Is School Violence?

School violence falls under the broader term of youth violence

. It describes the intentional use of physical or mental force on children in a school environment, or by people related to a child’s school. Children can be affected by school violence at nine or ten years.

Experts say

UNICEF says that children subjected to school violence are physically and mentally injured. They tend to develop depression, anxiety, PTSD, and suicidal thoughts if school violence is not addressed in time (2).

What Are The Types Of School Violence?

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School violence can be in various forms, not all of which are physical. Here is a list of the most common types of school violence:

• A physical fight may involve slapping, pushing, punching, kicking, etc
• Violence against an individual by a gang
• Use of weapons
• Bullying – both physical and mental
• Verbal abuse
• Virtual violence in the form of electronic stalking, online harassment and such

Data collected for the 2019–20 school year shows 1.4 million incidents of crime with 77% of public schools recording one or more such incidents. This translates to 29 incidents per 1,000 students. However, as the graph shows, only 10 incidents per 1,000 students were reported to sworn law enforcement (1).

Percentage of violence recorded in US public schools

Where Can School Violence Take Place?

Although school violence is often associated with violent incidents that occur on school property, it’s a broad term that encompasses several situations:

• Violence that happens during any school-related or school-sponsored event.
• Violence while the child is on the way to or from a school-related event.
• Violence while the child is on the way to or from school.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) administered a nationwide Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) to high school students in 2019 to check its prevalence. It was conducted to determine the frequency of school violence. According to the findings, around eight percent of high school students had a physical fight on the school premises one or more times during the 12 months before the survey.

What Are The Causes Of School Violence?

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There are a few common triggers that may lead to violence at school:

• Children often mistake power for respect. In trying to command the respect of their peers, they often resort to methods of abuse and violence. Conflict resolution training and peer mediation can help prevent such behavior.

• Children imitate what they see as ‘cool’ behavior, often associated with action heroes and on-screen characters. Their young minds do not always perceive the boundaries between real and imaginary. In trying to emulate on-screen heroes, children can resort to violent acts.

• Children who have been victims of teasing or ridicule may resort to violence. They feel it gives them power and hides the negativity they faced.

• Children also wrongly display violent behavior in order to win the approval of peers and the opposite sex.
• Witnessing abusive or violent behavior at home, especially between parents or guardians, can also make children turn violent. 

Are There Any Warning Signs?

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Sometimes, children who have a violent tendency will show their aggression in other ways. Watch out for these signs which lead to violence in schools for effective crisis intervention:

• Cruelty to pet or stray animals.
• Being interested in playing with weapons of any kind.
• Especially obsessed with games or movies that involve violence.
• Bully or threaten other people.

Experts say

According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, violent behaviors in children require comprehensive evaluation and treatment by a qualified mental health professional. The treatment helps them control their anger and frustrations (8)

What Is The Impact Of School Violence?

School violence can have physical, psychological and social impact on children. Physical impacts may range from minor bruises or wounds to serious injuries such as fractures, or permanent disabilities. Corporal punishment may lead to poor mental health amounting to self harming and suicidal tendencies. Such children find it difficult to empathize with others and often develop violent behavior towards siblings and friends and even their children, later in life. They may find it difficult to form emotional attachments to others, and may react violently when physically comforted (reactive attachment disorder). Children may start attending school less often, have lower academic performance and increased drop-out rates (2) (3).

How To Stop School Violence?

Parents and teachers must collaborate to prevent violence and create a positive school environment. Here are a few ways you can help prevent and stop school violence:

1. Praise:

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• Praise and encourage children for their good behavior.

• Make sure to highlight all their achievements and take pride in the same.

• Reward children for their achievements and help them set positive goals.

2. Watch Out For Signs:

• Always watch out for any sign of violent behavior.

• In case of aggressive behavior, find out its cause and offer solutions that can help resolve the conflict.

• Effective conflict resolution can aid in preventing bullying and future aggressive behavior. In addition, ensure that the school has adequate security measures and a zero-tolerance policy to prevent incidents.

• Speak to a student counselor if you notice worrisome signs of aggression in kids. They can offer advice on anger management and other ways of dealing with difficult emotions. In addition, schools should implement effective school discipline programs that focus on restorative justice.

3. Show Your Love:

• Love and attention can treat most issues related to childhood trauma.

• Always show your child that you care and trust him.

• Be there for your child whenever he needs you. Parental involvement plays a vital role in children’s emotional development.

4. Know The Friends:

• Make an effort to know your child’s friends.

• Arrange home parties and encourage your child to interact with his friends to boost their social emotional learning.

• Ask your child about his friends and what he likes or dislikes about them.

• Encourage your child to seek mental health support if they are facing any issues with their friends.

5. Extra-Curricular Activities:

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• Encourage your child to participate in extracurricular activities.

• Find out what activities your child likes and take him to hobby classes without fail.

• Make sure your child is always busy doing things he enjoys. They can also participate in community involvement activities which can help them foster empathy towards others.

Infographic: What Are The Risk Factors And Signs Of School Violence?

School violence is an issue that can have consequences for students, teachers, and the community. It can take many forms, including physical violence, verbal abuse, bullying, and even cyberbullying. Check out the infographic below to understand the causes of school violence and recognize the signs to help prevent it from occurring.

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team

Illustration: Effective Ways To Stop School Violence

Image: Stable Diffusion/MomJunction Design Team

Explore effective strategies to help reduce the occurrence of school violence and and make the schools a safe place for the children.

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Reviewer Author Editor Fact Checker

Catherine MokSocial worker

Catherine Mok is a therapist at Austin Family Counseling. She specializes in working with children, adolescents, parents, individuals and families using a collaborative and client-centered approach tailored to the unique needs of each client.

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Sagari GongalaBSc, PG Diploma (Psychological Counseling)

Sagari was a math graduate and studied counseling psychology in postgraduate college, which she used to understand people better. Her interest in reading about people made her take up articles on kids and their behavior. She was meticulous in her research and gave information that could be of help to parents in times of need.

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Swati PatwalM.Sc. (Food & Nutrition), MBA

Swati Patwal is a clinical nutritionist, a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) and a toddler mom with more than a decade of experience in diverse fields of nutrition. She started her career as a CSR project coordinator for a healthy eating and active lifestyle project catering to school children.

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Kavita KankaniMBA, BEd

Kavita has a diverse background in finance, human resources, and teaching. She did her MBA in Finance and HR at Solapur University, and bachelor in Education at Pune University. After working for three years in the banking industry, Kavita took up teaching before moving to writing.

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