Bullying is one of the primary contributors to school violence. Either the bullying involves violent acts on the part of the bully, or a victim lashes out violently in return, such as was the case in the Columbine shootings. Here are some facts and statistics about school violence and its relation to bullying:

School Violence Facts

School violence fact #1: Many students see violence as acceptable

Twenty-seven percent of teens in one survey felt that violence was an acceptable way to settle problems with other people, and only one-third felt they were accountable to society for their actions. (Larsen, 2009)

School violence fact #2: Bullying can lead to school violence

Bullying has a direct link to violence in schools. A study of school gun violence found that two-thirds of school shooters had been bullied by their peers, and many even stated that their violent acts were revenge attacks in response to the bullying they experienced. (Vossekuil et al., 2002)

School violence fact #3: Getting to and from school is more dangerous than the school itself

Though school shootings get the most public attention, your child is much more likely to experience violence on their way to and from school as opposed to in the building itself.  Less than 1% of all serious violence against youth occurs during their times at school.  (CDC)

School Violence Statistics

School violence statistic #1: Physical abuse in schools

It’s estimated that 2.8 million teens were reported to have been physically abused in high school in 2009. (NBC World News, Sept. 5, 2010)

School violence statistic #2: Weapons at school

Forty-three percent of boys who said they had bullied others at least once a week in school had brought a weapon to school, while 29% of victims who had been bullied weekly brought weapons to school. (Source: The Governor’s Prevention Partnership, www.prevention-worksct.org)

School violence statistic #3: Many students live in fear

One survey found that 51% of high-school boys said that they were afraid of other people at school, yet only 46% say their parents knew anything about this. (Garbarino & deLara, 2002, p. 18)

School violence statistic #4: Attacks in junior high & high school

According to government estimates, approximately 282,000 students are physically attacked in secondary schools every month in the United States. (Seale, 2004, p. 5)