Alarming increase in violence in public schools in Brazil

In 2021, teaching activities in 669 public schools across Brazil were halted due to incidents including shootings, theft, vandalism, threats, and attacks.

This statistic, representing 0.9% of total schools, comes from the 17th Brazilian Yearbook of Public Security, a product of responses from school principals via the Prova Brasil 2021 questionnaire.

The report indicates an alarming situation, affecting thousands of students’ right to education.

The trend is anticipated to have escalated in 2022 and 2023 due to an increased wave of threats and attacks.

For instance, the number of attacks on schools rose from two in 2021 to six in the first four months of 2023 alone.

Over 40% of the affected schools are located in Rio de Janeiro.

The research reveals that urban violence has impacted the school environment, with 37.6% of schools reporting bullying, 15% discrimination, and 2.3% sexual harassment.

A significant underreporting is suspected in crimes against children and adolescents, with over 102,000 minors falling victim in 2022, a rise from pre-pandemic levels.

Of particular concern is the 15.3% increase in reported cases of rape against children under 18 from 2021 to 2022.

The data shed light on the extent of the issue and underscore the urgent need for targeted solutions in different regions.

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