TORONTO, Dec. 11, 1997 -- As the Canadian public reels from the reality that a 14-year-old girl was bullied and beaten to death by her peers, the need for research into how to curb violence and resolve conflict has never been more urgent.

And thanks to the Brazilian Carnival Ball which has chosen York University's LaMarsh Centre for Research on Violence and Conflict Resolution to be the beneficiary of this year's Ball, York scholars will be able to step up their research on how to reduce violence among children and youth. Proceeds from this year's Ball are projected to reach more than $1 million.

"I salute the generosity of the organizers of the 1998 Brazilian Carnival Ball, and thank them for their confidence in, and commitment to, this kind of socially relevant work, which has always been one of York University's hallmarks," said York University President Dr. Lorna Marsden.

Dr. Debra Pepler is an award-winning York psychology professor,an internationally recognized expert on child bullying, and Director of the LaMarsh Centre: "The first step in reducing violence among children and youth is to understand what motivates it and what can mitigate against it. We hope to reach the parents, teachers and children who are confronted with the problem of bullying and help them understand that there are solutions."

Pepler's research has been profiled across North America, most recently on Oprah, TVO's Studio 2, WTN's Jane Hawtin Live, CNBC's Charles Grodin Show, NBC's Dateline, and on public and private radio stations across Canada.

She recently completed a four-year study into the bullying tactics of school-age children between the ages of six and 12, videotaping them in classrooms and playgrounds. She documented bullying and aggressive behaviour in school and evaluated an anti-bullying intervention project in selected downtown Toronto schools. Her results showed that if school intervention strategies are to be effective, they must involve parents, teachers and principals.

Pepler's research, which earned her the Psychology Foundation of Canada's Contribution to Knowledge Award, has been so successful that the LaMarsh Centre plans to expand its program to try to temper aggression and abuse in the lives of children at both earlier and later stages. Some of the activities which will be possible because of the Brazilian Ball donation include: