In Toponica, near Požarevac, an eleven-year-old girl was raped by her peers! On a school playground in Zagreb, six elementary school boys, all under the age of 13, surrounded a kneeling classmate. The boy apologized, saying, “Sorry for being weak.” The attackers threatened him, saying, “You’ll get a knee to the head.” One of them counted down, “Start, one, two…” The boy began to cry. Three years ago, in Višnjan, Istria, five older students severely beat a first grader! In Rakovica, Belgrade, a second-grade student attacked a peer and injured a teacher who intervened. Last year, students at a school in Tešanj assaulted a classmate so severely that doctors had to save his life.
A study by the Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation on peer violence among children and youth in Zagreb found that 51% of young people have experienced receiving violent messages. Meanwhile, Serbia’s “Čuvam te” platform, which tracks reports of school violence, recorded over 2,000 cases of violent behavior between May 2023 and October 2024.
For years, young people on the TV program Perspektiva have been raising alarms about the growing prevalence of peer violence. Here’s how they see the causes: Nermin and Lidija believe schools are not doing enough.
Violence, both verbal and physical, can be encountered at every turn. What’s most alarming is that when someone tries to intervene and help a victim, school administrations often refuse to take action.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0tMkfQET50&ab_channel=RadioSlobodnaEvropa
When it comes to peer violence, it is not only young people, such as elementary school children, who fail to stand up against it, but also teachers and educators. They fail to discourage bullying, especially towards children from national minorities or those with developmental or other challenges. In fact, educators often do nothing to combat the problem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rialuJOSjnk
Ljubica and Selman point to a problem with school psychologists.
I don’t think school psychologists are doing their job effectively. Children are usually only sent to them after causing problems, and nothing meaningful comes of it. They go, talk for a while, possibly get some sweets, and then return to class as if nothing happened.
https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/bosna-hercegovina-bijeljina-mladi-perspektiva/32764602.html
This serious social issue is being handled superficially and mechanically. The more it is ignored or treated lightly, the more frequent and entrenched a problem it becomes.
https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/tuzla-mladi-nasilje-perspektiva/33120855.html
Borika believes the root cause lies within families.
I think children who commit acts of violence often come from troubled homes.
https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/bosna-hercegovina-bijeljina-mladi-perspektiva/32764602.html
Djordje, Ivona, and Tina see the issue as part of wider social problems.
There is a lack of rule of law and an independent judiciary. We’ve all witnessed cases where innocent people suffer or even die, while the truth is hidden from the public and processes are conducted behind closed doors, where the public has no influence or gets any answers. Meanwhile, wealthy and powerful individuals, godfathers of various kinds or whatever, walk freely as if nothing ever happened.
https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/perspektiva-sa-mladima-u-beogradu—prva-epizoda/31138143.html
Many times I’ve reported the same person repeatedly, only to be told, ‘That’s just how he is. Ignore him. He’s just a boy. He must like you!’ I’ve been physically and mentally harassed for months, but the excuse is always, ‘You know whose son he is. I can’t do anything.’ The bullies are protected, and victims become even more vulnerable and exposed. If victims complain, the harassment often worsens.
https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/32745400.html
What we tolerate, we enable. Essentially, if we accept certain behavior from others, we must be prepared to endure it. Honestly, I’m tired of the victim mentality that today’s generations adopt today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLbmsV9b07o&ab_channel=RadioSlobodnaEvropa
Politicians in Serbia often fuel violence themselves. In Croatia, youth singing Ustasha songs is tolerated. Violence is normalized in the media. This environment shapes young people’s behavior, making peer violence a direct imitation of what society condones.
