Potentially dangerous objects and peer victimization in secondary school
This study looks at the proportion of adolescents reported to have brought a potentially dangerous object to school and identifies what sort of objects were involved (e.g., a knife). It also examines the links between peer victimization and bringing a potentially dangerous object to school, controlling for sociodemographic variables. Questionnaires were administered to a sample of 27,709 students in secondary one to five at 52 different public high schools in the Province of Quebec. Participants completed a survey (QSVE-R) devised to provide a picture of the phenomenon of school violence. The results show that 5.1 % of students, 8.2 % of whom were boys and 2.1 % girls, were reported to have brought a potentially dangerous object to school. This proportion increases with age and a knife is the object most likely to be brought. The findings confirm the influence of control variables and direct victimization (insults, threats, and physical attacks) on the likelihood of bringing a potentially dangerous object that can be used as a weapon to school. The research findings point to the importance of helping young victims develop better strategies to manage painful situations and suggests pathways to consider in order to direct interventions toward creating a secure school environment.