During 10 months of 2024, more than 200 cases of bullying in schools were recorded in Ukraine, Opendatabot reports. Of these, half of the protocols were drawn up for teenagers aged 14 to 16 years. The number of such offenses has increased significantly compared to 2021, when protocols for bullying teenagers accounted for only 45% of the total.
In total, in 2024, the police drew up 219 protocols for bullying in education. Despite this, the total number of incidents of bullying has decreased compared to the period before the start of full-scale war. Today, according to the Ukrainian Institute for the Study of Extremism, 40% of child suicides occur due to bullying.
The judicial system has also improved its work: since the beginning of the year, 160 decisions have already been issued in bullying cases, which is 73% of all protocols drawn up in 2024. For comparison, in previous years this figure was only 60%. This testifies to the significant work of judges and law enforcement officers in the fight against bullying in educational institutions.
One of the characteristic aspects of this year's cases is that almost every sixth offense was committed by a group of persons or is a repeated case of bullying. A new system of appeals is actively operating in Ukraine, which includes a button for anonymous reports , which allows parents and children to report cases of bullying. Since the launch of the button in October, 85 anonymous reports have already been submitted.
In addition, according to the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, 80% of complaints about bullying are submitted by parents of children, and only 20% - by students themselves. Applications for the fight against bullying are submitted mainly from Kyiv, Odesa and Lviv regions.
Offenders can receive fines from UAH 850 to UAH 3,400 for bullying. Education ombudsman Nadiya Leshchyk believes that the increase in fines up to 10,000 UAH can make this tool more effective. However, it should be noted that only adolescents over 16 years of age bear administrative responsibility Children younger than this age do not bear personal responsibility, and their parents are responsible for their actions.
What to do if your child is a victim of bullying
It is necessary to contact the management of the educational institution or the police immediately. It is also important that parents pay attention to changes in the child's behavior and well-being. Educational institutions are responsible for not providing adequate information about bullying incidents. For this, they can be fined or sent to correctional work.
