From fear to action: government responses to school violence in Brazil
Rossana Gueller Ruschel
Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS)
Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Brazil
Violence in schools is not a new phenomenon, but the severity of its manifestations in Brazil — and the public fear surrounding them — have increasingly become part of everyday life in education. It must therefore be understood as an urgent and intersectoral social issue, requiring coordinated government initiatives to address it.
This poster maps and analyzes these actions through a content analysis of 1,307 news articles published on the official websites of the Presidency of the Republic, the Ministry of Education (MEC), and the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP), between June 2013 and April 2024. A peak in published preventive and repressive measures occurred in April 2023, following a deadly knife attack at a daycare center in Blumenau/SC, which shocked the nation and led to the immediate creation of an interministerial working group for the protection of the school environment. In the months that followed, however, the number of publications gradually declined and stabilized, indicating a lack of sustained engagement.
The results highlight the importance of consistency and attentiveness from the State in combating school violence — especially in protecting children and adolescents. The study also offers a comprehensive view of federal responses and helps identify patterns, gaps, and potential directions for public policy aimed at prevention.
This poster maps and analyzes these actions through a content analysis of 1,307 news articles published on the official websites of the Presidency of the Republic, the Ministry of Education (MEC), and the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP), between June 2013 and April 2024. A peak in published preventive and repressive measures occurred in April 2023, following a deadly knife attack at a daycare center in Blumenau/SC, which shocked the nation and led to the immediate creation of an interministerial working group for the protection of the school environment. In the months that followed, however, the number of publications gradually declined and stabilized, indicating a lack of sustained engagement.
The results highlight the importance of consistency and attentiveness from the State in combating school violence — especially in protecting children and adolescents. The study also offers a comprehensive view of federal responses and helps identify patterns, gaps, and potential directions for public policy aimed at prevention.