Brasília, April 29, 2004 (Agência Brasil) - A study conducted by the researcher Miriam Abramovay in 143 state and municipal public schools, attended by over 12 thousand students, in the Federal District and five state capitals (Belém, Salvador, Porto Alegre, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo) reveals that nearly 84% of the students affirm the existence of in-school violence. Around 37% of the students have been victims of theft, and 4.7% have been physically attacked at school.

The data from the study, which will be published by Unesco, were presented yesterday (28) at the opening of the Ibero-American Congress on School Violence, in Brasília. The event, which ends today, is intended to present research results and stimulate the exchange of experiences to help in the formulation of government policies to deal with school violence.

Abramovay, professor at the Catholic University of Brasília and vice-coordinator of the Observatory on School Violence in Brazil, also disclosed that 21.7% of the respondents say they have seen pocket knives and 12.1%, revolvers, in the school environment.

Translator: David Silberstein