Agresivno ponašanje u školi nije pojava novijeg datuma. Povijest bilježi da je razdoblje školovanja uvijek bilo povezano s agresivnošću. Do promjene u sagledavanju problema nasilja među vršnjacima došlo je istraživanjem švedskog liječnika Petera Paula Heinemanna te norveškog znanstvenika Dana Olweusa. Njihovim radom, ali i drugih znanstvenika, dan je doprinos u klasifikaciji vršnjačkog nasilja prema pojavnosti tj. podjelom na tjelesno, verbalno, relacijsko ili emocionalno, seksualno nasilje među djecom, ekonomsko, kulturalno i elektroničko nasilje. Radi lakšega proučavanja ove pojave, sudionike u krugu vršnjačkog nasilja, prema situacijama/pozicijama u kojima se nalaze, možemo podijeliti u četiri grupe: djeca koja čine nasilje, djeca koja trpe nasilje, djeca koja su izložena nasilju, ali ga i sama čine te djeca koja ne sudjeluju u vršnjačkom nasilju. Učestalost vršnjačkog nasilja značajno varira u odnosu na zemlju gdje je provedeno istraživanje te o načinu definiranja negativnih postupaka. Zato može doći do velikih razlika u rezultatima istraživanja. Različitost djece prema nekim karakteristikama, npr. izgledu, zdravstvene poteškoće, sposobnostima ili pripadnost manjinama, mogu predstavljati povećani rizik za sudjelovanje u vršnjačkom nasilju. Hoće li se neko dijete agresivno ponašati ili ne, osim individualnih karakteristika, ovisi i o utjecajima/poticajima koji dolaze iz njegovog okruženja – obitelj, škola, društvena zajednica, mediji. Područje djelovanja Crkve obuhvaća i pastoralni rad sa svima onima koji su na određeni način od društva odbačeni ili ignorirani te svi oni koji trpe neku nepravdu. Tu spadaju i djeca koja trpe nasilje i zlostavljanje (i ne samo od strane odraslih nego i od svojih vršnjaka). Različite djelatnosti/mjesta u sklopu Crkve mogu pomoći u prihvaćanju djeteta koje trpi vršnjačko nasilje i to uključivanjem u zajedništvo što može rezultirati jačanju njegovog samopouzdanja, osjećaja pripadanja, prihvaćanja i sl.

Aggressive behavior in schools is not a new phenomenon – history depicts how a person’s schooling years have always had a connection to violence. A change in the way how the problem of peer violence itself is viewed came from the research of a Swedish physician named Peter Paul Heinmann, as well as the work of the Norwegian scientist Dan Olweus. Through their, as well as other scientists’ research, a contribution to the classification of peer violence by incidence was made, namely through the categorization of violence into physical, verbal, relational / emotional, sexual violence amongst children, economic, cultural and electronic violence. In an effort to study this phenomenon, the participants in a peer violence circle can be categorized into four groups, according to the situations / positions they are in: children who commit violence, children who suffer violence, children who are exposed to violence but also commit it themselves, and children who are participants in peer violence. The frequency of peer violence varies greatly depending on the country the study was performed in, as well depending on the way negative behaviors are defined. Major discrepancies in the results of these studies are therefore possible. The dissimilarity of children in regards to certain characteristics, i.e. outward appearance, health problems, abilities, or affiliation with minorities, can impose increased risk of participation in peer violence. If a certain child will behave aggressively or not, apart from individual characteristics, also depends on influences / incentives that originate from the child’s surroundings, i.e. family, school, the social community and media. The churches area of activity also encompasses pastoral work with all those that are in a certain way rejected or ignored by society, as well as all those who suffer any kind of injustice. Thereby included are children who suffer violence and maltreatment (and not only from adults, but from their peers as well). Different activities / locations within the confines of the church can help the acceptance of children who suffer peer violence – through their inclusion in a community, which in turn can result in the strengthening of their self-confidence and their feeling of belonging and acceptance.