5: Nonviolence Education and Uneven Landscapes of Victimization in Brazilian Schools

This chapter examines the relationship between school‑based nonviolence initiatives and students’ experiences of victimization in Brazilian schools. Drawing on nationally representative survey data disaggregated by race and gender, the study analyzes how projects addressing bullying, racism, sexism, and violence correlate with reductions in student‑reported harm. Findings reveal that while such initiatives produce modest improvements, structural inequalities persist, with Black, Brown, Indigenous, and gender‑diverse students continuing to report disproportionately high rates of victimization. The chapter situates these results within critical frameworks of relational justice, peacelearning, and nonviolent pedagogy, arguing that genuine nonviolence education demands a systemic reimagining of educational relationships and power structures. It concludes that without addressing the historical, racial, gendered, and colonial dimensions of harm, nonviolence initiatives risk reproducing rather than transforming patterns of violence within schools.