219 cases of bullying in schools recorded in 2024

The police have issued 219 protocols for bullying (Article 173-4 of the Code of Administrative Offenses) in education since the beginning of 2024. Cases of bullying have decreased compared to the period before the full-scale war. According to the Ukrainian Institute for Extremism Studies, 40% of child suicides occur as a result of bullying.

At the same time, courts have become more effective in handling such cases: since the beginning of the year, 160 decisions have been made, which is 73% of all protocols issued in 2024. In comparison, over the previous three years, an average of 60% of cases resulted in decisions.

Every second protocol for bullying involves teenagers aged 14 to 16, totaling 124 protocols this year. Decisions have already been made in 80% of these cases. It’s worth noting that such offenses have significantly increased over the past two years: in 2021, protocols against teenagers accounted for 45% of cases.

Nearly one in six recorded offenses involves bullying committed by a group or repeated acts. Since the beginning of the year, 37 such cases have been recorded. Additionally, 12 protocols were issued to educators who were aware of bullying but failed to report it.

At the end of October, Ukraine launched a button for reporting bullying incidents. Since then, 85 anonymous reports have been submitted. According to the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, 80% of bullying reports are filed by parents, while only 20% come from children. This feature has already been used in 16 regions of the country. The majority of reports were submitted in Kyiv and the Kyiv region, totaling 36 cases. Odessa and Lviv regions follow with 9 and 8 reports, respectively.

Currently, bullying is punishable primarily by fines ranging from 850 UAH to 3,400 UAH. Ukraine’s Education Ombudsperson, Nadiia Leshchyk, suggests that increasing fines to 10,000 UAH could make them a more effective tool in combating bullying in schools.

Key points about responsibility and penalties:

• Bullies: Individuals aged 16 and older bear administrative responsibility for their actions.
• Parents: For children under 16, their parents are held accountable for their behavior.
• School Administrators: Heads of educational institutions can also be penalized for concealing bullying incidents.

Penalties may include:

• Fines
• Corrective labor, with up to 20% of earnings deducted.

If bullying occurs, it’s essential to report it promptly to ensure accountability and intervention.