School violence

School violence includes violence between school students as well as attacks by students on school staff. It encompasses physical violence, including student-on-student fighting, corporal punishment; psychological violence such as verbal abuse, and sexual violence, including rape and sexual harassment. It includes many forms of bullying (including cyberbullying) and carrying weapons in school. The one or more perpetrators typically have more physical, social, and/or psychological power than the victim. It is widely believed by society to have become a serious problem in recent decades in many countries, especially where weapons such as guns or knives are involved. School violence occurs in all countries and affects a significant number of children and adolescents. It is mostly perpetrated by peers but, in some cases, is perpetrated by teachers and other school staff. School violence includes physical, psychological and sexual violence. Bullying, in its broadest sense, can be defined as a form of aggressive behavior characterized by unwelcome and negative actions. It entails a recurring pattern of incidents over time, as opposed to isolated conflicts, and typically manifests in situations where there exists an imbalance of power or strength among the individuals involved. It is important to distinguish bullying from occasional conflicts or disagreements that may arise among peers. Various forms of bullying exist, including physical, psychological, sexual, and cyber-bullying. Physical bullying encompasses a series of aggressive acts, such as physical assault, injury, kicking, pushing, shoving, confinement, theft of personal belongings, destruction of possessions, or coerced participation in undesirable activities. It is important to note that physical bullying differs from other types of physical violence, such as physical fights or attacks. Psychological bullying entails verbal abuse, emotional abuse, as well as social exclusion.