"I'm worried, the initiative for the prevention of peer violence to start this week"

"I'm worried, the initiative for the prevention of peer violence to start this week"

Once children enter school, friendships and interactions with peers take on an increasingly important role in their lives. Although peer violence can take many forms, available data suggest that bullying by schoolmates is by far the most common.

The latest video, which shocked the public after it was published on social networks, shows a 13-year-old boy, an eighth grade student at the elementary school "Saint Sava" in Sremska Mitrovica, who beat up three peers, and one of them ended up in the hospital.

He beat the first boy during a break in front of the store, outside the school, and the other two in the school hallway, in front of the classroom. The Ministry of the Interior, the competent prosecutor's office, as well as Center for Social Work, including the competent ministry, were informed about this case.

Ministry of Education confirmed for Kurir that they were informed about peer violence in Sremska Mitrovica and that they expect the school protection team to react adequately.

Minister Branko Ruzic reiterated for Kurir that he "strongly condemns all forms of violence." "I am very concerned about the cases of peer violence that have occurred in schools in the past. Ministry of Education will therefore intensify preventive activities and initiate cooperation with the local community, Center for social work and the Ministry of the Interior through school administrations," the minister said. Meetings with parents on peer violence and the role of schools, families and social welfare institutions and the police in the prevention of all forms of violence will begin this week in Smederevska Palanka.

"It is important to point out that in the protection and prevention of peer violence, the support and action of all factors of society is necessary, as well as that everyone recognizes the importance of educational work, with special emphasis on nonviolent communication, peaceful conflict resolution and non-acceptance of violence". It is necessary for all the actors, including the family, to make a constructive contribution to creating a safe and stimulating environment for the life and development of children", Ruzic said.