Back to school: COVID-19 and the opportunity to build safer learning environments

While the pandemic exacerbated the high risk of violence against children and adolescents, our pre-pandemic research shows that schools have not always safe places. Violence in, and around, educational settings already existed as a serious and universal problem.

Through secondary analyses of the Violence Against Children and Youth Surveys (VACS), we’ve shown that students across the globe experience unacceptably high rates of school-related physical, sexual, and psychological violence. Our research also demonstrates that schools can play a critical role in violence prevention and response.

As schools around the world reopen, education policymakers and school administrators must prioritize creating safe and equitable learning environments, ensuring all students can thrive.