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A school is considered to be a child’s second home, its teachers and friends a second family. However, tragically, many times this second home can also be the demise of one’s mental well-being. 

Why? In credit to the silent brewing culture of violence and/or ill-treatment in schools. 

 

According to the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), almost 764,600 victimizations at school and 509,300 victimizations away from school were experienced by students falling in the age group of 12 to 18. Although the figures of violence in school have significantly decreased, the number of victim-homicide incidents have been steadily increasing. Bullying is the most common form of violence in school but it is not the only one; gender-based and transphobic violence also affects over 246 million students worldwide  (according to UNESCO, 2017). 

 

The current need of the hour is to address the silent crisis of violence in schools as it negatively impacts the mental health of students, breeding mass victimization, which violates the right of a child to education in a safe environment. Victimization may lead to low-self esteem, social isolation from peers, anxiety, and depression-led low concentration leading to poor academic performance; making the school a place to be dreaded.  Sexual violence in schools, which is more often faced by girls, impacts not only the mental but physical and psychological health of the victim as well. Moreover, sexual assaults and rape can also increase the risk for sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies, both of which lead to the destruction of mental health. 

 

Victimized children find it hard to form an emotional attachment with others, and recoil from forging any bonds which often deprives them of optimistic outlooks on life  Further, abuse in childhood has been associated with difficulties in working memory and executive functioning. School violence, thus, can ruin the future of both the victimizer and the victim. 

 

To prevent school violence, one must first understand the risk and protective factors associated with it. The individual factors comprise gender and age. Studies suggest that female learners report a higher rate of victimization than their male counterparts. With regards to age, violence victimization in school is at its highest among 15-16 years old. The relationship factors, i.e. the attitude of parents and/or siblings towards the child has a strong impact on their behavior and personality. Furthermore, if childern’s peers have access to drugs and/or illegal weapons, they are at an increased risk of experiencing violence. The community and surroundings play a very important role in determining the risks; Countries with easy access to drugs, alcohol, or illicit weapons witness a higher rate of school violence. 

 

However, well-managed and safe schools can effectively mitigate such risks. Schools fostering a non-violent and strictly discipled environment, good relations between teachers and learners, and positively empowering learners to achieve well academically can play an important role in the mitigation of these risk factors. If children are educated right from the beginning of their learning stages to respect boundaries and not violate rights, it can reduce the chances of victimization later on in school life. 

 

At an individual level, you must seek to be an upstander if you witness any form of violence happening in schools, and not promote victimization yourself. You can also spread awareness through articles, social media posts, and public discussions. We must bear in mind the fact that schools cannot be called schools if they are not viewed as the safe and nurturing places they are meant to be.